Should I trim the lower leaves on my tomato plants? (2024)

FAQs

Should I trim the lower leaves on my tomato plants? ›

As plants get taller, you can continue removing lower leaves up to 18 inches from the ground, to help keep the disease from spreading. Work when the leaves are dry to avoid spreading disease.

As a tomato plant matures, its lower leaves begin to yellow. Pinch or prune yellowed leaves to prevent disease, improve the tomato plant's appearance, and help the plant keep its energy focused on fruit production. Don't over prune in hot climates.

The advantage in removing the lower leaves is that the plants energies go into producing fruit rather than a lot of foliage. Also the lower leaves tend to get powdery mildew so it is good to remove them to stop disease spreading.

To encourage a strong stem, I trim all suckers and I don't tie plants to their supports until the first flowers appear. Determinate tomatoes need no pruning other than removing all suckers below the first flower cluster because pruning won't affect their fruit size or plant vigor.

In the joint between the stem and branches, tomato plants produce suckers, which are excess growth that diverts energy away from the main stem and primary branches. Suckers will grow their own leaves, flowers, fruit, and more suckers, resulting in too much foliage and a more unwieldy plant.

If space in your garden is at a premium, or if you're supporting plants with tomato ladders or stakes, it's best to prune your tomato plants to one or two main stems. To do this, pinch out all suckers. Otherwise, suckers will grow into additional stems and create a wide, bushy plant.

How much foliage your tomatoes have will determine how many leaves you should remove. In order to maintain a healthy balance between vegetative growth and fruit production, it is typically advised that no more than 1/3 of the leaves be cut.

Once you've got a few trusses of green tomatoes on your plants, it's a good idea to strip off some of the excess foliage. This will help the plants to focus on fruit and ripening which might be a good idea if this slightly cooler weather continues, as they may struggle more than usual with ripening!

5. Over pruning. Over pruning tomato plants removes too many shade-producing leaves, resulting in the fruit being exposed to the hot sun, causing sun scald.

When you water, do not wet the plant leaves. Wet leaves invite infections that can cause your plant leaves to spot, yellow and wilt before the plant has a chance to produce any of the tasty tomatoes that you are so anxiously anticipating. Water early in the day.

How do you prune tomatoes to increase yield? ›

If you are keeping one leader, remove all suckers (new shoots that develop in the leaf axils). If you are keeping two leaders, save the sucker just below the first flower cluster. Remove all other suckers. Remove suckers when they are still small (less than 2 inches).

If your tomato plants are all-leaf and no tomatoes, you've probably got an issue with pollination, fertility, water, or weather.

Removing the bottommost leaves of a tomato plant serves a similar purpose. When should I prune my tomatoes? Start pruning in late June or early July when the first tomato flowers are open and easy to identify. Continue with a second and third pruning (as needed) every 10 to 14 days following the first pruning.

Now that you know how to pinch them out and also stop them, you can ensure most of the energy will go towards producing the trusses that in turn produce the fruit. Not doing this will mean you have a fantastically aromatic yet bushy plant that only produces tiny green unripe tomatoes by the end of the season.

Once you've got a few trusses of green tomatoes on your plants, it's a good idea to strip off some of the excess foliage. This will help the plants to focus on fruit and ripening which might be a good idea if this slightly cooler weather continues, as they may struggle more than usual with ripening!

The most common reason why the leaves on established tomato plants turn yellow is a lack of nutrients in the soil. Tomatoes are extremely heavy feeders and require plenty of nutrients to grow healthy and be fruitful. Signs of nutrient deficiency often start low on the tomato plant.

When lower leaves start getting yellow it is a sign that they are shutting down and they should be removed before they become a sugar drain on the rest of the plant. As long as they are green they are photosynthesizing and producing sugars for fruit production.

Early Blight and Septoria Leaf Spot

Perhaps the most common disease symptom homeowners mention is “My tomato plants are turning brown, starting with the bottom leaves and working toward the top of the plant.” This description fits the symptoms of two diseases: early blight and Septoria leaf spot.