How should I prune my tomatoes?

Question

I know how to prune tomatoes, but, well, I haven't done it. They've gotten completely wild and bushy, and though they have quite a lot of fruit, I know I gonna have to cut them back some if that fruit is to ripen before winter. So do you have any advice on how I can save them?

I'm guessing it's a case of cutting off all shoots without fruit on - will that work?

Answer 1

"To prune or not to prune, that is the question"!  And it's been asked for decades.  Some swear by it, some never prune.  Pruning will provide you with bigger but fewer tomatoes.  There is some evidence that not pruning will give you more poundage of tomatoes per plant but the tomatoes will be smaller.  Pruning to control the plants may be a necessity unless you have all the room in the world.  I'm a pretty successful tomato grower and I stand somewhere in the middle.  I do prune but let some of the suckers get by.  

For me it's a personal preference.  No cut and dried answer.  

Answer 2

Tomatoes are not pruned..next season, use tomatoe cages and place over plant...this will support the limbs and allow the most sunlight to reach the most leaves. Goldwing

Answer 3

To get the best tomatoes, don't prune.  The leaves interacting with the sun is what gives the tomatoes their flavor.  But if they are just out of control, choose which limbs you want to remove and take them off at the main stalk.  Do this in the evening, so they have the cool night to seal up and recover.

Answer 4

Greg L is right...don't prune.

But also remember to pinch out the suckers (Small sections that look like a new plant beginning to grow from some of the limb intersections. These sap energy and more tomatoes are grown when they are removed.

Good luck