Do I Need to Prune My Tomato?

Some types of Tomato do best with pruning, while others do not need it. There are two categories, determinate and indeterminate, that have different growth patterns. Determinate varieties have been adapted to stay compact and put out all their fruit at once, so they shouldn’t need pruning in most cases. Indeterminate varieties can keep growing and producing fruit over the whole growing season, so pruning is useful to keep them at a reasonable size and to produce larger, more delicious tomatoes. By removing extra shoots and leaves, the plant is able to use all of its energy toward the fruit it produces. While a sprawling Tomato will likely produce a larger number of tomatoes, they will be smaller in size and less flavorful.

Pruning improves air circulation around your Tomato and reduces the chances of disease, and also makes it easier for you to spot any pests or signs of disease on your plant. And, pruning makes tomatoes ripen faster. So, while you technically don’t have to prune, in many cases you will get the best results if you do.