manomes
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How do I know which stems are "suckers"?

So I know not to prune my determinate plants but what about my Super Sweet 100? I thinik I can tell which stems are suckers because they have nothing going on, but how can I be sure? Or should I just let it grow wild? I've clipped off some of the obvious wimpy ones. Thanks!

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PunkRotten
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I suggest looking at pics on google. But the suckers usually grow in the crotch between 2 stems. It is advised to remove all suckers below the first flower/fruit cluster. I am not sure after that. I think you have to be more careful cause some of those "suckers" could end up being a flower/fruit cluster.

manomes
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Oh my goodness - I had this all wrong. Just looked at Google pics. Ugh. I was pruning wrong stems. Boooo.

Thanks for this, by the way.

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gixxerific
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PunkRotten has it nailed there

With pruning I mainly only prune suckers every now and than. I usually end up wishing I would have pruned more but than I would miss out on all that fruit they usually produce.

My main therory on pruning is only prune enough to keep the plant in control. My plants seem to get out of control a lot. 8) :lol:

The ones in my CRW cages don't get pruned much. but the ones in my Flroida weave rows get pruned more just for the fact the will break the line holding them up and topple over. Plus I have way too many and I won't be able to keep up with what I have. :wink:

That is my way be it right or wrong that is my way. It takes a long time to know what to prune and what not to. Trial and error the gardening way.

PaulF
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I've been gardening and growing tomatoes for more than 50 years and I am firmly in the DO NOT PRUNE camp. I do trim the lower stems and leaves to get them off the ground but nothing more. Unless you are babying along a single tomato to win a prize, there is no real reason so far as I can see. I have never noticed a downturn in production. But then again, I see no reason to limit growth in my garden.

manomes
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Location: Southern California

Thanks all for your input. I think I'll just let them go and see what happens then. I've probably already trimmed too much:( I will pick off the ones touching the soil though.

MaryDel
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Pruned tomato plants will give you bigger tomatoes and earlier tomatoes.

Unpruned plants will yield more pounds of fruit, and in areas of intense sun the extra foliage will protect fruits from sunscald.

Bobberman
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Excess nitrogen will make suckers grow faster and the plant will look like a forest with smaller tomatoes! I usually prune the suckers after they have there first set of flowers right above the flowers! I probably do this to the first few early suckers! I don't prune grape size tomatoes! Late in sept prune the suckers and even the main groths will give you a better harvest or ripe and less green just before the first frost!



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