MIgardener: Never Grow Tomato Plants Without Doing This ONE Thing!
When it comes to growing tomatoes, there are dozens of methods and many different tips and tricks to producing abundant harvests. There is one thing though regardless of how you grow that you should be doing!
I have cherry tomato and beefsteak tomato plants cherry is doing well producing. Beefsteak has not had one tomato. It blooms but none set. What can I do?
I thought it was going to be a vibrating toothbrush for flower pollination. I like lollipopping the tomatoes when I'm transitioning mine from the veg stage to the fruit/flower stage. It's like ~4-5 feet tall at that point maybe. I do live in a dry area with no humidity so I can afford to wait longer because some of those lower branches are still photosynthesizing for the plant.
I do the 1st 2 feet. Then, some random throughout , because I grow indeterminate. The limbs grow long and blocks alot, and my plants are all so happy. When my plants are tall hah like 10 feet ,if I see suckered on lower parts I will keep some strong ones then I will get a second harvest. Its all about learning your plants
Thank you Luke, i didn't know that you prune determinie it tomatoes. I was always told let them grow. What your saying makes perfect sense. Thanks again hope the family is well!
I live in NW Ohio and am ready to give up on my tomato plants. We had a cold wet spring and a hot, humid summer and the 25 plants are doing horribly. They either have disease or failure to thrive. None of them have developed any color. Green for weeks now. Wondering if I should just rip them out. We are expecting more heat and humidity for the next 10 days.
I thoroughly agree that removing the lowest leaves is beneficial for minimizing disease problems, BUT….. Was I mistaken to believe that ripening of tomatoes occurs because of sunshine absorbed by the leaves, and that protecting the fruit from too much sunlight was beneficial?
Thanks for the confirmation; I have always done this with my tomato plants, I thought it was just common sense to do so. I have never had to deal with any kind of pests, except one time with "tomato worms". That was fun!! Appreciate all of your videos.
I think it's a wise general rule. I'm no expert, but I've observed that tomatoes with thicker foliage and broader leaves handle this well, and varieties with thinner leaves can be debilitated by it some. Especially if the to.ato is more of a beefsteak variety, you will want to be more sparing with leaf removal after that initial few sets from the bottom. Cherry varieties seem to manage it all with more resilience for me, but I do live in a very hot zone in the summer months. All those things should be taken into account when deciding how to prune, in my experience.
You're the best of the best Luke. You're always teaching us so much. My garden has done 10 times better this year because of stuff you taught me. Thats what it's all about. Youre the best. Hope yall are doing amazing
Sent this to 3 people we're coaching as 1st year gardeners and sharing lots of your videos! The best gardening channel!
On the somewhat related topic of sucker pruning for indeterminates: started doing a modified version of single stemming where we prune them all til the plant is a couple feet tall, then start letting the suckers grow til they put out 1-2 sets of flowers, then pruning each sucker ABOVE the 2nd set of flowers on that sucker so the sucker sets fruit but doesn't keep growing. Then once those fruit are ripe/ harvested, prune that sucker. I've noticed this gives me 2-3x the yeild from each plant but still prevents it from spending all its energy to fully develop each sucker. Best of both worlds! Of course you need great root development and soil to support all those fruit, but that's a different post!
Hi Luke, why is it when I trim the lower leaves they just stop flowering and the tomato tree suddenly just dried up and my tomato just didnt continue to ripe. So I have to remove the tomato cuz its done. Thank for the tips 😊👩🌾👍🏼👍🏼
I remove the bottom leaves from my tomatoes. Thanks for all of the advice you give. Love your new farm. You look so happy about it. I’m glad God blessed you with your dream.
Honestly didn't know if some of these leaves were good or not when I was out in the garden today, Perfect timing on this video. I also found adventitious roots or Primordia today, had no idea what that was. I wrote in about ground cherries, I'm on my 6th try now, so many beautiful ones posted on X, hoping one day I can grow them
41 Comments
My plants are 1/2 that size. I never planted starts and put the seeds in after mother's day. So tiny. Thanks for the tip.
I have cherry tomato and beefsteak tomato plants cherry is doing well producing. Beefsteak has not had one tomato. It blooms but none set. What can I do?
I started removing the lower leaves last month. Now it's a jungle. I really need to get out there and do ot again 😊❤
Great info! I have already done this about 10” up. Had a rabbit hiding in my garden because there was so much coverage. 😂 He/She was evicted!
I thought it was going to be a vibrating toothbrush for flower pollination. I like lollipopping the tomatoes when I'm transitioning mine from the veg stage to the fruit/flower stage. It's like ~4-5 feet tall at that point maybe. I do live in a dry area with no humidity so I can afford to wait longer because some of those lower branches are still photosynthesizing for the plant.
I always remove bottom leaves. However this year I have tons of flower drop. I’ve never had this before. If anyone can help please comment
Tomatoes ripen due to internal factors not sunlight.
What happens to the pruned foliage? Do you leave it on the ground?
Why do my cherrie tomatoes wilt for day's at evening then die.? Last 3 years they have done this.
I do the 1st 2 feet. Then, some random throughout , because I grow indeterminate. The limbs grow long and blocks alot, and my plants are all so happy. When my plants are tall hah like 10 feet ,if I see suckered on lower parts I will keep some strong ones then I will get a second harvest. Its all about learning your plants
Thank you Luke, i didn't know that you prune determinie it tomatoes. I was always told let them grow. What your saying makes perfect sense. Thanks again hope the family is well!
I live in NW Ohio and am ready to give up on my tomato plants. We had a cold wet spring and a hot, humid summer and the 25 plants are doing horribly. They either have disease or failure to thrive. None of them have developed any color. Green for weeks now. Wondering if I should just rip them out. We are expecting more heat and humidity for the next 10 days.
Yes, remove b the bottom 12 – 14 inches and then throughout if the foliage becomes too dense to increase airflow.
Thanks for the reminder! I know the timing was intentional and that is because you wish us all success. Bless you!
I thoroughly agree that removing the lowest leaves is beneficial for minimizing disease problems, BUT….. Was I mistaken to believe that ripening of tomatoes occurs because of sunshine absorbed by the leaves, and that protecting the fruit from too much sunlight was beneficial?
Doesn't this heavy pruning shock the plant?
Leaf foot beetle gets this time every year
Would you do the same for potatoes?
I do the ones that touch the ground.
Thanks for the confirmation; I have always done this with my tomato plants, I thought it was just common sense to do so. I have never had to deal with any kind of pests, except one time with "tomato worms". That was fun!! Appreciate all of your videos.
After pruning, they grow like weeds!!!
I Agree.
I single stem.
And remove leaves to one node below the lowest fruit set..
I think it's a wise general rule. I'm no expert, but I've observed that tomatoes with thicker foliage and broader leaves handle this well, and varieties with thinner leaves can be debilitated by it some. Especially if the to.ato is more of a beefsteak variety, you will want to be more sparing with leaf removal after that initial few sets from the bottom. Cherry varieties seem to manage it all with more resilience for me, but I do live in a very hot zone in the summer months. All those things should be taken into account when deciding how to prune, in my experience.
I trimmed them up and three days later they hulled out and covered everything I just cut.😂
Shoutout to artichokes. ✌️✌️✌️🇺🇸
Great reminders on a practice that has worked for me for years, and I learned about what to call those pesky picnic beetles!
This tomato bed is so dense, it was giving me anxiety watching the video. That's a decease habitat waiting to happen
Helps for watering around the base so the leaves don't stay wet.
I prune, prune, prune. All season long.
Great reminder. Thank you.
You're the best of the best Luke. You're always teaching us so much. My garden has done 10 times better this year because of stuff you taught me. Thats what it's all about. Youre the best. Hope yall are doing amazing
Sent this to 3 people we're coaching as 1st year gardeners and sharing lots of your videos! The best gardening channel!
On the somewhat related topic of sucker pruning for indeterminates: started doing a modified version of single stemming where we prune them all til the plant is a couple feet tall, then start letting the suckers grow til they put out 1-2 sets of flowers, then pruning each sucker ABOVE the 2nd set of flowers on that sucker so the sucker sets fruit but doesn't keep growing. Then once those fruit are ripe/ harvested, prune that sucker. I've noticed this gives me 2-3x the yeild from each plant but still prevents it from spending all its energy to fully develop each sucker. Best of both worlds! Of course you need great root development and soil to support all those fruit, but that's a different post!
Thank you !
Hi Luke, why is it when I trim the lower leaves they just stop flowering and the tomato tree suddenly just dried up and my tomato just didnt continue to ripe. So I have to remove the tomato cuz its done. Thank for the tips 😊👩🌾👍🏼👍🏼
HEY MIGARDENER STAFF!!Should I be removing the suckers? It feels like I'm removing foliage that would grow flowers. Am I wrong?
I knew it. Just cleaned mine up too.
HUGH difference in my tomatoes when I prune. Looking forward to a great harvest this year. Thanks!
I remove the bottom leaves from my tomatoes. Thanks for all of the advice you give.
Love your new farm. You look so happy about it. I’m glad God blessed you with your dream.
Honestly didn't know if some of these leaves were good or not when I was out in the garden today, Perfect timing on this video. I also found adventitious roots or Primordia today, had no idea what that was. I wrote in about ground cherries, I'm on my 6th try now, so many beautiful ones posted on X, hoping one day I can grow them
I prune the first 8-10" on both detereminate and indeterminate plants. It has worked well.