cutting the bottoms off of tomato plants.

[smom1976]

My husband.. he is so funny.,. I am on my sites all the time so instead of him going on here to look up his questions he tells me to go and "see if anyone has answers"

so The big question of the day is..

Are you supposed to cut off the bottom suckers from tomato plants? Or just let them grow. Suggestions ideas recomendations..

Thanks.

 

[mirime]

I'm looking forward to seeing what responses you get - I did that with one of my plants and it got super huge, but now wilts EVERY SINGLE DAY and I'm sure I should just pull the poor thing out, but I keep hoping I can save it. Not sure if cutting the bottom branches ruined it or not. Sigh.

 

[SewingDiva]

Oh sure I do this every year. I like to keep the lower parts of the vine away from damp soil to help prevent soil borne problems when the plants start to produce. I cut back maybe 8-10 inches on indeterminate varities.

Helps with air circulation too.

~Phyllis

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Suckers are removed for mainly 2 reasons, size of fruit and to keep the plant in control.

If you are concerned about the size of a plant and it outgrowing your cage or area that you have designated for it then you should remove suckers, both at the bottom and the crotch. This will keep the plant manageable. If you do so then the plant will produce 'less' fruit by quantity but your 'generally' get larger fruits.

Personally, we have grown hundreds of tomatoes and still manage to get 2 pound fruits from plants that we remove no suckers from. As far as cherry tomatoes and other smaller fruited tomatoes, there will not generally be a size difference.

Another point to add. Removing the bottom suckers and leaves can help reduce the risk of soil borne diseases, since there are no leaves at the base for soil to splash on.

When you do pinch off suckers it should be done when first noticed and not when they are larger branches since this can stress the plants.

mirime- I'm guessing that perhaps the plant has fallen victim to a wilt or another disease. Are there any other symptoms? Purple veining in the leaves? Yellowing then drying out of the bottom leaves?

 

[mirime]

mirime- I'm guessing that perhaps the plant has fallen victim to a wilt or another disease. Are there any other symptoms? Purple veining in the leaves? Yellowing then drying out of the bottom leaves?

I haven't noticed purple veining nor yellowing of the lower leaves (esp since I cut most of them off to begin with). I water this plant extensively, much more than any other of my plants. It will plump up for a bit, then wilt horribly in a few hours. Sigh again.

I guess my tomato thumb isn't as green as I thought it was!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

mirime- I'm guessing that perhaps the plant has fallen victim to a wilt or another disease. Are there any other symptoms? Purple veining in the leaves? Yellowing then drying out of the bottom leaves?

I haven't noticed purple veining nor yellowing of the lower leaves (esp since I cut most of them off to begin with). I water this plant extensively, much more than any other of my plants. It will plump up for a bit, then wilt horribly in a few hours. Sigh again.

I guess my tomato thumb isn't as green as I thought it was!

It probably is the onset of a wilt, hard to say exactly without exhausting every last detail. :/ Although, it may be too much water, perhaps?

However, most wilts can be somewhat controlled with a copper or sulfur spray. This will help keep the plant alive but will not get rid of the disease. If it begins to spread or it seems like it's not doing any better you may just want to pull it. As long as you can keep it from taking over then it shouldn't affect your harvest too much. Next season you should consider crop rotation or solarizing the soil to ensure the disease doesn't take over again.

Good luck!

 

[smom1976]

Thanks so much for all your answers. I will "relay" the information.

I keep telling him that forums are not that scary.. maybe he is afraid that he will get addicted too. Then we would have to get another computer LOL

 

[mirime]

Thanks OCF - it's frustrating because every morning the plant looks good, then when I get home from work at dinnertime it's all wilted. I water it, it plumps up (sometimes) and the cycle continues.

There's three green tomatoes on it...I think I'll pull them off and then pull the plant up and do as you suggest.

 

[bills]

Thanks OCF - it's frustrating because every morning the plant looks good, then when I get home from work at dinnertime it's all wilted. I water it, it plumps up (sometimes) and the cycle continues.
.

Is this plant in a container by any chance? It sounds to me like it drys out during the day, due to lack of water. This can happen in the ground as well, if the soil drains quickly. Can you set up any kind of shade for the plant, perhaps a couple of stakes with some landscape fabric stapled to it?

I have had the wilt problem in the past, and the plants never rebounded at all, just kept getting worse and worse, leaves turning black, then stems, then main stem. Tomatos that were forming also turned black. Your problem dosen't sound the same.

Smom1976- If your hubby gets addicted to the forums, then who is going tend the garden? When you get a great bunch of people, as this forum has, it's easy to get hooked on it. I have never seen any kind of flaming, or personal attack, or even a derogatory comment on here, The same questions are often answered, repeatedly, with no hesitation, or sharp comment about using search, to the newbies. Good on all the members here!

As to your question... While the plants were still young, I have cut off all the bottom branch's, up to the ones just before the fruit branch, and then also any of the crotch suckers above. (OMG, that almost sounds rude)
Now mind you my plants are in a greenhouse, and air circulation plays an important roll in plant health. That's mainly why I do this. As Oakland mentions, the pruning does have other practical purposes, for plant health, even with the ones in the outdoor garden.

I have occasionaly in the past also let some plants grow without any interference from pruning, whatsoever, and they actually stayed very healthy, and did produce an abundance of smaller fruits. Many had to be ripened indoors as the colder weather hit with green, and some immature fruits still on the plant.

 

[silkiechicken]

I don't trim my tomatoes because they don't really get huge out here because it's so cool. However, for that wilt by day plant, I'd say it's either in a quick drying overly well draining soil, or it's not planted deep enough/got spoiled by daily watering. I plant my starts a bout 6 inches deep (till top two large leaves show), and water at most 2x a week.