Pruning indeterminate tomatoes improves fruit production by removing extra growth that diverts energy away from developing fruits. Removing extra growth redirects energy back to the fruits and reduces fruit shading, both of which will help fruits mature more quickly.
STEP FOUR TO PRUNE INDETERMINATE TOMATOES
This process is called “topping” because you'll prune the top of the plant. Through topping, you tell the plant to slow the energy placed on creating more vines and leaves and accelerate the energy for ripening the fruits.
Indeterminate tomatoes generally need to be pruned quite a lot. Not only does this make them easier to manage, but continual pruning gives you a better yield. I start by stripping the bottom 2′ of foliage from the plants, which allows for good airflow.
Indeterminate Tomatoes
Indeterminate varieties that are staked can be planted 1½ to 2 feet apart in the row. Indeterminate plants grown in wire cages should be spaced 2½ to 3 feet apart, while a 3- to 4-foot-spacing would be appropriate for indeterminate tomatoes allowed to sprawl over the ground.
If you do decide to prune, it should only be done to indeterminate tomatoes, which produce fruit regularly over the course of a season. It's also important to note that not all types of tomatoes need to be pruned.
There are two times to prune indeterminate tomatoes: early in the season when the plant is growing its foliage, and later when the end of the growing season is near. Because pruning needs depend on the stage of growth, how you prune early in the season will be different from later in the season.
Another advantage of making your own cages is you can add more horizontal pieces to give the maximum plant support to your tomatoes. If you have scrap wood, the cost may be negligible. If you are growing indeterminate tomatoes, you can use a cage.
Water newly planted tomatoes well to make sure soil is moist and ideal for growing. Early in the growing season, watering plants daily in the morning. As temperatures increase, you might need to water tomato plants twice a day. Garden tomatoes typically require 1-2 inches of water a week.
Tomatoes planted too closely together may be more likely to develop problems, such as: Disease – A lot of plant diseases flourish on moist leaves. If tomatoes are planted so closely together that sunlight and air can't dry out the leaves, the plants will be more likely to develop harmful diseases.
Indeterminate varieties will reach and exceed the top of the stakes. At that point, cut the tops off of indeterminate tomatoes to maintain a tidy hedge and to prevent the row from becoming top-heavy.
To help improve airflow and cut down on the chance of disease, remove the leaves along the bottom 12 inches of the stems of indeterminate tomato plants.
Indeterminate tomatoes continue growing, flowering, and producing fruit throughout the growing season until the first fall frost kills the plant.
Since indeterminate tomato plants can get extremely large and will keep producing tomatoes all season, they can handle some pruning. Pruning indeterminate tomatoes also allows more space for extra plants in the garden. If you let all the suckers grow, your plants will become heavy and out of control.
Some gardeners recommend you “pinch off” the flowers on your tomato transplants during their first weeks of growth, claiming that removing early blossoms: Directs more energy into establishing a strong root system. Results in a larger, sturdier, and potentially healthier tomato plant.
While grape tomatoes are determinate, meaning they are bushy and produce fruit in a short period of time, beefsteak tomatoes are indeterminate, meaning they have sparser foliage and produce fruit over the course of a growing season. As indeterminate plants, they grow higher and require staking as well.
TOMATO WATERING TIPS
Water in the morning to the keep the soil moist through the heat of the day. Always water at the base of the plant — watering from above invites disease. Check tomatoes growing in pots often since they dry out quickly. Be consistent — fluctuations in water supply lead to cracking and blossom end ...
The best time to prune indeterminate tomato plants is when they are around 12-18 inches tall. This is usually 3-4 weeks after planting. As with determinate tomato plants, remove any branchers or suckers on indeterminate tomatoes that grow below the first flower cluster.
Overwatering generally makes the plant look almost like it's rotting, as in drooping and turning soggy brown. My guess is it is having Nitrogen problems. Any type of vegetable fertilizer you buy at the store should work fine.
And, as you might have guessed, you'll need an even larger planting box to house an indeterminate tomato plant. So aim for a gardening container at least 18 inches long and 12 inches deep. If you prefer to think in terms of gallons, select at least a 10-gallon container for indeterminate tomatoes.
Indeterminate tomatoes will grow and produce fruit until killed by frost. They can reach heights of up to 12 feet although 6 feet is normal. Indeterminates will bloom, set new fruit and ripen fruit all at the same time throughout the season. They require substantial staking for support.
To support indeterminate varieties, I prefer to make my own cages out of 5-foot-tall concrete reinforcing mesh that I buy at a home-supply store. Make sure the mesh is large enough to get your hand through while clutching a ripe tomato; a 6-inch-square meshwork for me and is readily available in stores.
Determinate varieties won't need topping, and indeterminate varieties will be fine if left without a haircut. You may wish to allow your tomatoes to just keep growing along the trellis or cage.
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.