I am new to this news group and I am hoping to get some pointers on the best methods of pruning tomatoes, or places I can look to find more information. I am in a northern climate with a short growing season. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
-- Vi
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Pruning is a waste of time and hurts production--don't do it.
information.
I've been raising tomatoes for more year than I care to remember and have learned not to do any pruning, and I've lived in zone 3 to zone 6. I find that pruning cuts production and tomato quality. Leaves protect the tomatoes from sun scald and also aid in producing larger tomatoes because the leaves produce the food that adds to size. I like leaves and suckers.
John
Removing suckers and later fruit clusters will produce earlier fruit by a few days, but will decrease overall production. If you're in a real northern climate, you might need those few days for real vine-ripened fruit, although if the fruit is almost ready it will ripen off the vine. I think that ripening the fruit on the plant is best if you have that option without hitting frost dates.
If you have several tomato plants, you might prune 20% of them and leave the rest. This will give you an idea of how effective it is for your area.
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I live in New Orleans where it's almost impossible to grow tomatoes - or so it seems. I've found that *lightly* pruning my plants helps to combat fungus problems (by letting more sun & air get to the interior of the plant), but I do think the plants suffer in some ways despite my good intentions. If you have a specific reason for pruning - like fungus - then do so, but carefully. However, I would advise against pruning in most case.
good luck and happy gardening, ~norm
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