REMEMBER - I Know nuttin' 'bout rasin' 'maters

[OldGuy43]

Okay, my tomatoes are nice and tall (3-4') and producing some fruit. I got 'em in the ground late. Anyhoo, all the fruit is near the ground. There are a lot of flowers up higher but... Should I prune the tops off? I really don't know.

 

[Dave2000]

Why would you prune the tops off? I usually pick the really low blooms off as tomatoes at ground level may rot on the ground or get eaten by *something*, but for pruning the rest it's about how tall you want the plant, if it's staked how high it can be supported and whether you're trying for something that looks like a vine or a bush, which can depend on how much space is between each plant. Tomatoes do have a harder time getting large fruit high up on the plant but if you don't have enough growth down low, that's where the rest of the fruit will have to be later.

Personally I leave everything including the suckers for the first 18" or so at the bottom then pick off any suckers higher up, then once the plant is over roughly 10" taller than the stake it's tied to, I cut off anything that looks like it's going to flop over sideways if it tried to grow fruit.

 

[desertwillow]

Give them some time to set fruit. Right now everything is going to the tomatoes to get them growing bigger. As you pick them then more nourishment will go to the top. I have a tomato doing the same thing. I live in the high desert though and tomatoes have a rough go of it between the heat and the wind. I am growing one now called "solar fire" that is doing very well and I'm getting some very nice size tomatoes from it. I have another called "heat wave" that isn't as good but it's giving me smaller fruit. If your tomatoes are indeterminate (will keep growing taller) vs (determinate) that grow only so high then stop you can trip them down a bit. Lots of luck.

 

[baymule]

Sometimes tomato plants can grow taller than you are lol. I never prune mine, just let'em grow. I use tomato cages, that supports the lower branches. Then I stake them with rebar stakes and hay twine. I let them get as tall as they want to and just keep picking! Right now I have 20 plants in a bed, they are Celebrity tomatoes and they do well in our Texas heat, produce well and make awesome sweet un-sun dried tomatoes! Good luck with your tomatoes and enjoy growing your fresh 'maters!

 

[Collector]

OG, I dont know the difference between a top mater and a bottom mater either. I just know with the oddball weather we have had the past couple years I am just happy when there is a tomater on my plant! Congrats on your tomatos

 

[Just-Moxie]

I don't do anything except water them, put cages on them to keep them off the ground, and fertilize...when I remember to. Was just out checking them, and there are bunches of green tomatoes on some of the bushier plants. We were noticing though, he 3 right under the tree dripline, were spindly.....the ones right outside of it...are lucious and thriving...and the ones of the very end, have curling leaves. Haven't lost any yet though.
I don't take sucker off...too hot and humid to sucker hunt on a daily basis.