Not all suckers need to be removed from mature plants.
Pruning indeterminate tomatoes also allows more space forextra plants in the garden.
If you let all the suckers grow, your plants will become heavy and out of control.
The Spruce / Michele Lee
Determinate
In contrast, determinate varieties of tomatoes dont require any pruning at all.
When to Prune Tomato Suckers
Pruning can take place throughout the growing season.
At planting time, remove the lower leaves and bury the stem deeply in the soil.
The Spruce / Michele Lee
Roots will grow along the stem, helping to add stability to the plant.
Pruning late in the season is a race to ripen fruit before the first frost.
About four weeks before your area’s expected first frost, remove the growing tip of each main stem.
The Spruce / Michele Lee
When you first start pruning, do less rather than more.
Some people pinch off any suckers that grow in the axil.
Pruning Tomato Suckers.University of New Hampshire Extension.
The Spruce / Michele Lee
