Pinching tomato suckers: not on my garden to-do list
Step away from the tomato plant and no one gets hurt.
Garden myth: you should pinch tomatoes suckers (the growth between main stems and the leaf) for a better tomato crop.
I ‘ve been growing tomatoes since I could say spaghetti sauce, and I’ve found that pinching the suckers is something every garden resource seems to preach as the gospel–a dire must-do when growing tomatoes. But In my experience, it’s a big ol’ waste of time that diminishes your harvest. If you want just one big tomato at the end of the season, then I’d say go for it.
Healthy row of un-pinched heirloom tomatoes (one tomatillo in foreground)
A tomato plant is not a bonsai tree. You want it to grow and glean as much energy from the sun to produce sugars for the star feature of your next BLT or caprese salad. I liken it to removing sails from a sloop and wondering why it doesn’t move as fast. Leaves harness the sun’s power, sails the wind’s. Don’t short yourself on either.
One of the many suckers that became a robust tomato-producing branch
People who grow dahlias know to pinch the lead growth so as to produce more suckers and thus more flowers. I would not pinch the lead stem for a tomato plant, as the suckers automatically show up. Another thing I’ve observed is that if you leave the tomato plant’s side shoots alone, they mainly appear from the base of the plant, and not such much on new growth as the season continues. Why? Because they are concentrating their energy on producing fruit for your next Salad Nicoise.
I trellis my tomatoes; don’t get me started on cages.
Now that I’ve spared you one more thing to do on the chore list, take a break in shade (ice tea optional) before you get back to your weeding. (And as you can see from the photos, I surely need to attend to mine.)
40 responses so far ↓
1 miffy // Jul 12, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Mom’s doing the Topsy Turvy this year…2 for 19.99!!!!! Will let you know….I didn’t want to say “cage” but thought you would chuckle about the topsy turvy…a true NJ TOMATO! XO
2 Tom // Jul 13, 2009 at 1:59 am
I’ll be interested in how those little gems fare for your Mom. ummm, Jersey toms!
3 June@Four Green Acres // Jul 14, 2009 at 2:27 am
Just today I was out in the garden fretting about the fact that my mama told me to ALWAYS pinch the suckers, and of course I NEVER pinch the suckers. I’m a sentimental gardener (often to my detriment, as when I let the poppy weed keep growing in the cabbage patch just because I love poppies). SO…it is nice, so very nice, to find out that my squeamishness at thwarting any part of my tomato plants is actually a virtue. I’m just not telling my mother I took your advice over hers.
4 Tom // Jul 14, 2009 at 9:24 pm
June, Your secret’s safe with me.
5 Eileen @ Passions to Pastry // Jul 15, 2009 at 3:32 pm
O.K… Years ago a friend’s mother told me I HAD to pinch off the suckers. I started pinching immediately, but the ones that I missed would produce lovely tomatoes. I agree… all pinching does is reduce your yield. AND, I just found some wilt on one of my Purple Cherokee. I’m removing and disposing the leaves the moment I see it. We are now over 7 inches below our normal rainfall for the year. What do you think, Tom? Do I get wilt because 1) it’s an heirloom and not disease resistant 2) I’m using a sprinkler to water my tomatoes since we no longer receive rain 3) I’m being punished for some reason and will not have one homegrown tomato in August.
6 Tom // Jul 15, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Eileen, I hear it’s better to hand water and keep the plant dry to discourage wilt. One summer we had a rare August downpour and in three days every tomato plant I had was suffering from wilt. I’ll do a little research. If you can, I’d hand water at the base of the tomato — but looking at your site, you garden is looking pretty dreamy to me.
7 Eileen @ Passions to Pastry // Jul 15, 2009 at 11:49 pm
I know. I should be using a soaker hose. It’s always on my list of things to do.
8 brion // Jul 16, 2009 at 1:49 pm
You guys probably don’t need it but Texas heat must be kept from the roots. Mulching not only holds moisture in, it holds moisture, not to mention the nutritive benefits. Note: keep it away from the main stem on your tomatoes.
9 renae // Jul 30, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Seriously, when are you going to start selling the bounty at the local farmers’ market?
10 Tom // Jul 31, 2009 at 1:33 am
I’m working on it — I’m working on it!
If not late this season perhaps next!
11 Nancy // Aug 3, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I was delighted this year when our son suggested a “joint” garden on his property. It’s been years but was eager once again to get my hands dirty. Everything looked great until the tomatoes and green beans started to wilt. Being a distance from water, our son had a barrel with which we could carry water. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to help, even after a rain wilting persisted. Then we heard from friends about walnuts affecting tomato plants. Our healthy tomatoe plants now are loaded with tomatoes that appear to be stunted and the plan is dying. My guess is that has been the problem with the green and yellow beans. Wanting to avoid the issue next year, how far away should the garden be from the tree??? I planted limited vegetables this year and want to expand the selection next year, what vegetables will be affected by the walnut tree?? Any suggestions/help you can give would be greatly appreciated.
12 Annette // Aug 17, 2009 at 7:57 am
Tom, I’d like to see more pictures of how your tomatoes are trellised? I tied mine from the base of the plant to overhead frames this year and they are so heavy with fruit they are breaking the frames. I’ve canned tomatoes, marinara, tomato soup, tomato juice and we’ve been eating like crazy. I have another 20 pounds upstairs to do tomorrow and probably 2 more batches like that in the next 2 weeks. And some of my tomatoes haven’t even begun to ripen. Maybe 30 tomato plants was too many? But you never know here in Seattle.
And I even pinched my suckers!
13 Tom // Aug 17, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Hi Nancy, sounds like the dreaded walnut wilt which is prone to areas around black walnuts trees more so than the English type (the nuts found in oatmeal cookies). At my last house in Seattle, I had a black walnut tree on my property. Some things would do okay under the tree and other plants had nothing to do with my poor site choice and suffered because of it.
Apparently the roots, leaves and husks in the black walnut release a chemical called juglone that affects growth on certain plants. Ohio State University Extension has a good fact sheet on it: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html
and this is a good read from Maryland: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html
And as if that’s not enough, you may have Fusarium Wilt (related link http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r783101011.html ) or Verticillium Wilt (related link, http://www.treesforyou.org/Planting/TreeCare/Healthy/blk-nuts.htm
The links share some resistant tomato varieties and I rotate crops religiously and never plant tomatoes in the same place or where potatoes once were. I also try not to water the leaves of the tomato vines. Good luck and good gardening!
14 Tom // Aug 17, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Annette, you are one supreme tomato grower — Wow! I’ll be happy to post some pics on my tomato trellis. I really like it a lot and find it’s easy to maintain and easier to weed and pick.
Basically, it’s two anchor posts that I run wire down, a strand every one foot on the post, so it pretty much looks like a horizontal wire fence section. I “espalier” the tomatoes on that vertical plane and it keeps them nice and tidy. I’ll post pics as it will give you a much better idea of how this works.
And if you need another recipe for tomatoes, I cut them in half any and every type, slow roast them at 200 degrees on a cookie sheet with salt, pepper and drizzle of white basalmic vinegar (or sherry vinegar) and olive oil. When the toms are pasty or sludge-like I pop the whole mess in a freezer bag for future pasta dishes –um um good!
15 Jennifer Wallace // Aug 22, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Tom, how far apart do you plant your tomatoes? Also, my tomatoes this year (sadly, in cages) are ripening small and dying back as if it’s already fall. Any thoughts? Jennifer
16 Tom // Aug 23, 2009 at 2:30 am
Hi Jennifer, it could be a couple things. You may have varieties that are small by nature in the category of cherry or grape tomato, like sungold or sugar lump or red currant. And it also sounds like they may need more water. I hand water mine at the base of the plant and I have a berm built up to create a crater that holds water. I water heavily once a week, if no rain. For the bigger tomatoes, I like Lemon Boy, Northern Exposure, Black Krim or Black Prince. My all time favorite is an heirloom variety called Pineapple and Old German by some. Next year dig big deep holes and add composted cow manure (comes in bags) . It really pays off as they are heavy feeders. Good luck and good growing!
17 Jennifer Wallace // Aug 28, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Thanks for the suggestions. I share the watering with a partner in our community garden plot, and we tend to water twice a week, but maybe not deeply enough. I’m always worried about watering TOO much. We’re in the SF Bay Area (North Bay) with no rain at all during the summer. I’m going to try trellising next year and will give some of your large varieties a try. Jennifer
18 Hubris // Sep 8, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I grew a Black Prince this year, and found that any kind of pruning of it made it wilt as though it were pained. I stopped and have a very nice yield.
As for watering, I use a plastic mild jug with a hole bored into the lid. I cut the bottom off and fill it every morning and every evening with water. It sends the water in a steady dribble to the root system. When it rains I take the jug away.
I grew mine in a pot, and cut the slits in the side all around so that downpours drain, but a small amount stays at the bottom.
19 Tom // Sep 9, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Love the milk jug idea. I tend to plant my tomato plants in bowls or craters with a berm to hold the water, as the water runs off otherwise. I just dig a large hole and plant the tomato lower than the grade of the garden.
20 Jennifer Wallace // Apr 17, 2010 at 11:18 pm
Hi, Tom: I’m not sure if you’re checking your email yet this season…I’m preparing to build a trellis for my tomatoes this year (like yours), and I’m finding most “experts” online insist that pruning is necessary to support tomato vines when they get heavy with fruit. You obviously don’t prune them…thoughts? Also, how close together do you plant your tomatoes along the trellis? Thanks! Jennifer
21 Tom // Apr 18, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Hi Jennifer, I’ve never found pruning necessary for my tomato plants no matter how heavy the crop; the stems seem to handle as much weight as the tomato cares to deliver.
The most beautiful and productive tomatoes I’ve ever seen were untrellised and unpinched, left to their own devices in a field in Yakima, Washington. Sometimes conventional wisdom keeps us from trying new things.
Take two of the same tomato plants and try pinching one and not the other and see what happens.
As far as spacing goes, I have the room so I space them about 2-3 feet apart. You want to keep good air circulation around the plants so try not to crowd them.
As far as watering goes, we too, like the Bay Area, have dry summers, well that is beginning July 5th at least. I water mine only once a week, in a berm I create around the plant. I’d say about a half gallon a plant. Stress is not such a bad thing for tomatoes; it makes them want to produce more. Fertilize a tomato and you have a lot of pretty lush leaves, and few toms. And we know the world could use some more good toms. Good luck, and here’s to your first bowl of summer Gazpacho–cheers Tom
22 Jennifer // Apr 30, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Thanks, Tom. One more question…Do you water much more frequently just after planting, daily or so for a couple weeks? Seems like everyone else in my community garden waters so often throughout the season. Jennifer
23 Jennifer // May 1, 2010 at 12:13 am
OK, last question, I promise…my plot is in a raised box, although it goes through to the ground. Also, our weather may be warmer than yours (80s are the norm in summer, and 90s are not out of the question). I’m wondering if this means I should water more often than once a week because of that. Jennifer
24 Tom // May 1, 2010 at 2:55 am
Hi Jennifer, good questions all. Here’s my take on watering tomatoes.
Too much water creates a lush plant, but make diminish fruit size and number. Rather than creating a watering schedule, look to the tomato plant for the answer as to when its thirsty.
I look for my tomato plants’ leaves to start drooping or wilting in the heat of the day. Then I wait until the evening when they rebound with cooler temps and I hand water, being careful to no get the leaves or fruit wet. The plant has the entire evening to rebound and quench its thirst. I believe they grow better at night.
Too many growers work too hard to pamper the plant. I say don’t. If it’s slightly stressed, it works harder to produce fruit, not foliage.
25 Jimi Hendrickson // May 22, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Tom, I agree no pinching. I planted 8 plants last year and was getting about 30 to 40 pounds of tomatoes a week for the whole month of August. I had to give them away, but they looked so lovely in the little basket making everyone happy who received them.
26 Susan // Jul 10, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Hello Tom! Greeting from PA.
I came across your website searching for answers to the ever confusing question of removing suckers from tomato plants. I have not done so and will not after reading your take on it. My Dad never did, but my ex-husband did. Loved reading about life on the island. Thanks!!
27 Tom // Jul 11, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Hi Susan, looks like the old adage is true, “Father’s knows best” at least when compared to ex-husbands.
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29 Angela // Aug 18, 2010 at 11:33 am
HELP! I went crazy yesterday and over-pruned my three plants. There are barely any leaves or stems left! I honestly don’t know what came over me. They were growing like crazy, so I had to go to home depot to grab some steel supports & twine. Before I knew it, they are barren looking (except for the HUGE green fruits). Ugh. Anything that might help at this point?
30 Tom // Aug 18, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Angela, step away from the pruners…
Actually not to worry. Tomatoes are amazingly resilient and should bounce back in no time with new foilage. Seriously, you can pull up the plant at the end of the season, hang in a cool, dry, dark place and the plant will still ripen the fruit on the vines.
At this late time in the growing season, it’s unlikely you’ll get a lot more new tomatoes anyway. Just keep the plants watered if wilting under summer’s heat, oh and no more pruning. Good luck.
31 NA // Feb 12, 2011 at 5:00 am
I’m with you on pruning suckers. However, I do have a cage option that we have used for years and which gives less work with more production as well as helping keep down the weeds. It is absolutely NOT those glorified coat hangers/instruments of torture from the hardware store. We learned many years ago that heirloom tomatoes eat those for breakfast and ask for seconds.
32 Tom // Feb 12, 2011 at 7:30 am
NA, Love your site and the fact that you grow so many types of heirloom tomatoes. Do you have any pics of your tomato cage? If I lived in Ohio, I’d be on you CSA list as quick as I could say Beefsteak. Tomatoes are a real challenge in our cool maritime climate.
33 Laurie // May 26, 2011 at 9:43 am
Hah! I’m not a fan of sucker pinching, either, and I prefer trellises to cages (http://commonsensehomesteading.blogspot.com/2009/06/up-gardening-up-that-is.html)
We get a lot of wind around here, so my trellises are a combination of wood, string and metal. In good years the tomatoes can reach six feet. This year….welllll…it’s tough just getting them in the ground and keeping them from freezing.
The main pruning I do is just to direct growth if they get too big, as end of season to avoid setting tomatoes that won’t ripen and push more energy into those that will, and sometimes on lower limbs to deal with septoria.
34 Sustainable Eats // May 26, 2011 at 11:29 pm
I find it matters if they are determinate or indeterminate. Some plants like the determinate ones I let bush. The indeterminate I want some order to. I want some focus. I want some discipline. I want some damn tomatoes already. I pinch!
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38 Christine @ Fresh Local and Best // Jun 6, 2011 at 8:45 am
This is quite an interesting unconventional perspective, and I like it. I’ll have to resist pinching those suckers, and see what will come of those baby branches.
39 shelley // Jul 12, 2011 at 9:53 pm
you guys are killing me. today I pruned, trellised, pinched and propagated with a paintbrush. In Alaska, on the coast, it is all a crapshoot. I pruned one hoop house; did not prune or pinch the other ‘cuz I got tired after yoga. yikes. If I don’t have to pinch should I give up tickling too?
40 Tom // Jul 13, 2011 at 6:02 am
Shelley, tickling is still okay rest assured, but pinching, well it’s okay to say “no.”
I say give yourself a hand for trying to grow tomatoes in coastal Alaska. I used to live in Juneau, and most of my plants survived growing under the eaves. So here’s to your first ripe tom and BLT (vegan or otherwise) of the summer!
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