Q&A for How to Prune Tomatoes

You can start pruning safely after the first set of flowers appears. Some growers like to prune the bottom set of limbs when transplanting tomatoes out to the field.

Yes. You should trim off any dead, diseased or broken limbs on your tomato plants.

The spacing for tomato plants depends on the type of tomato plant and how you want it to grow (namely, structured or unstructured growth). For determinate tomato plants, these can be planted anywhere between 2 to 2.5 feet (60-75cm) apart, spacing rows of plants apart by around 4 feet (120cm). For indeterminate tomato plants grown using stakes, they will be fine planted 1.5 to 2 feet (45-60cm) apart and if you’re using tomato cages, keep the distance about 2.5-3 feet (75-90cm) apart. If you aren’t using supports for indeterminate tomatoes but are letting them grow freely, then allow for spacing of 3 to 4 feet (90-120cm) apart, to provide adequate space for sprawling growth. In all cases, allow about 4 feet (120cm) between rows.

There can be various reasons behind the curling of tomato leaves. One reason is insufficient moisture but since you say you're watering them, you'll have to look to other possible reasons. Things to consider are: Herbicides––if sprayed around the area recently, these can cause curling leaves, even if the herbicide drifts on the wind; exposure to wind––too much constant wind can result in curling leaves as they dry out fast; insect infestations, such as broad mites, can cause the leaves to curl; and the tomato leaf curl virus can cause leaves to curl, in which case the plants need to be removed and destroyed to prevent spread of the virus. For insects and viral problems, do some additional research to see if these are the issue for your tomato plants.

To stop the rabbits from getting at your tomato plants, you’ll need to provide barriers around the plants that prevent the rabbits from getting to them, such as fencing or shields made from strong netting/canvas fabric that goes some way into the ground to prevent digging. You could also try planting in pots and keeping these in an area the rabbits cannot reach. For help with rabbit-proofing your garden, see the wikiHows How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden Organically and How to Keep Animals Out of Your Vegetable Garden .

You can cut off the top of the tomato plant (the terminal shoot) at the end of its growing season, to encourage it to grow as much as possible before the end of the plant’s life. This should only be done when there isn’t much growing time left for the remaining fruits on the plant, as it will allow the nutrients to be redirected to them instead of the plant trying to keep growing more leaves and branches.

Yes, you can cut dead leaves off a tomato plant, and this can be especially helpful if you are worried that the leaves might be diseased. Removing dead leaves may help increase the fruit production.

Once a tomato plant has died off in a cold climate, it won’t grow back. However, it may grow from seeds left around from rotting fruits if these have been left strewn around the ground. In the right climate and place, tomato plants can be grown as perennials but they are usually grown as annuals in the standard vegetable garden of temperate and cold climate areas.

Not all tomatoes need to be pruned but for some varieties it is essential, in order to get as much fruit as possible. Determinate tomatoes do not need to be pruned, as pruning won’t help produce more fruit or encourage vigorous growth––in fact, pruning will lose potential tomatoes with determinates. You can remove suckers below the first flower for determinate tomatoes but leave it at that. However, you do need to prune indeterminate or vining tomatoes (such as (Big Boy, Beef Master, and most heirlooms), so as to encourage fruit production. The instructions for these varieties are explained in the steps above.

You can self-pollinate the tomato flowers with an electric toothbrush. Turn the brush on and hold it to the back of the flower -- it releases pollen. Every bloom I've done this to has turned into a tomato.

They live until the first frost, or until they get blight from rainy/moist weather. Unless you live in a tropical area or have a greenhouse, they will die every year.

You need to water the plants with Epsom salts bought from your pharmacy. The quantity is found on internet and varies.

The vast majority of tomatoes for sale are indeterminate. Look for words like "patio" or "bush" that would suggest a compact, or determinate plant.

It sounds like you're over-watering, and don't overdo the nutrients, use half the suggested dose. Better to use less Miracle-Gro than you need rather than too much.

Until you see tomatoes form on most of the branches. Then cut off the branches that still have only flowers (or no flowers) and the flowers that have not produced fruit.

At least 12". Make sure no leaves are touching the ground. Remove all stems below the first flowers.

No, you don't need to do this. Just let them grow.

No. The sucker will try to produce more fruit. The fruit should be made on the main stem.

Yes, either a calcium spray, which you can make from water and one of the calcium products intended to stop fruit rot, or a fertilizer with calcium in it applied just above the roots will solve the problem.

Let one of the suckers grow out and pinch the rest. The suckers will grow into another stem. It is wise to feed these a bit more nutrients (2-8-4 or add 0-13-14 to your regular nutrients) to get bigger and bear more fruits. Don't go overboard with the nutrients; more is not better. A plant can only use so much, then they burn. Fox Farm is a good brand to use, as it's organic.

Some say an inch a week is sufficient, but I like to keep the soil moist by watering my grown tomatoes several times a week.

No, this wasn't a bad decision. This should help your tomato plant thrive since it can take full advantage of water and nutrients.

You can, but why would you? Those blossoms will bear tomatoes, so I'd just let them grow.

Try to give them fertilizer like fish emulsion. If you are going to use fish emulsion I would recommend 1/3 fish emulsion and 2/3 water and after you make the mix, water the plants every 2 weeks.

It depends. If your tomatoes are planted in the ground, then a deep watering once or twice per week would be sufficient. If your tomatoes are in containers, then you should water them daily until water runs through the bottom of the container. (You should also water them when the soil is dry to the touch.)

If exposed to the freezing temperatures, then they will not survive. If the pot is brought indoors or otherwise protected from freezing, then they could survive.

Only if they start to wilt (or at the end of the season). If you have a trellis system that can drop the vine lower, then you should make sure the leaves don't touch the soil.

No, the growing tomatoes are getting their energy from the plant. Trimming back more of the plant would not be advisable.

You can do it anytime between sunrise and sunset, whatever is best for you as a gardener.