Do you have to max out tomatoes: yes or no? When do you start?

The tomato harvest is not always abundant in our latitudes. Rain and brown rot often affect the plants. The rampant growth also consumes a lot of energy, which the fruits then lack. But the so-called skimming should help against this. Those who regularly remove the energy-sapping shoots will be rewarded with a better harvest. Is that correct? If so, what do you have to consider?

What is pruning?

As unusual as the term may be for many, the term pruning hides a simple measure: removing unwanted shoots from the tomato plant. Only special shoots are removed, which are known as stinging instincts. They do not bear fruit, but they rob the tomato plant a lot of energy, which it can use for fruiting. They are therefore terminated or cut off promptly and regularly.
Tip: Larger stinging shoots can be used for further reproduction. After they have formed roots in the water glass after about a week, they are planted out.

Advantages of skimming

If a tomato plant is allowed to grow out of control, it will quickly become bushy. The greenery consumes a lot of nutrients and energy. The dense growth also favors diseases. Skimming solves both problems.

• more energy and nutrients are left for fruit formation
• more tomatoes will form
• Tomatoes get bigger and ripen faster
• the tomato plant grows leaner
• takes up less space
• Shoots are more airy
• Tomato plant can dry off better after rain
• The spread of fungal diseases is prevented

Tip: The slim growth habit caused by pruning is well suited for growing tomatoes in greenhouses, where the available space is usually limited.

There are downsides too

Skimming is not only associated with advantages. On the one hand, the natural growth of the tomato plant is changed. On the other hand, breaking off or cutting off the stinging instincts creates open wounds.

• slender growth is less stable
• Wind can kink the plant
• Tying is required
• Pathogens can easily penetrate wounds
• the risk of illness increases

Not to be neglected is the high workload. Removing the shoots once is not enough. Newly growing stinging instincts require repeated intervention. For laypeople there is also the risk that instead of the stingy shoots, fruit-bearing shoots are accidentally removed.

The right time

When the tomato plant is planted in the bed, the first stingy shoots will soon sprout. The work of clearing out therefore begins shortly after planting out and is only over when the fruits are ripe for harvest.

• Period around June to September
• until the harvest
• weekly or biweekly
• as long as the stingy instincts are a few centimeters small
• on a dry and warm day
• ideally in the morning

Note: A monthly interval for pricking out is not recommended, as the shoots can become quite large in the meantime. The consequences would be: high loss of strength for the plants and larger wounds after pruning.

Differentiation of the instincts

The tomato plants not only form many energy-sapping stinging shoots, but also shoots that later bear fruit. The shoots must be clearly distinguished from one another so that the fruit-bearing shoots are not accidentally removed. This fear of removing the wrong shoots actually prevents many tomato owners from prizing them. The stinging instincts can be easily identified.

• Stingy instincts do not form on main instincts
• they sit in the leaf axils
• between main shoot and side shoot
• as long as they are small, they are easier to see
• larger stinging shoots push the leaf axils apart
• this makes the distinction more difficult

Tip: Anyone who maxes out their tomatoes for the first time doesn't want to make mistakes. You should therefore ask another tomato gardener who is familiar with pruning for support and guidance, so that only stinging shoots are really consecrated.

Cancel or cut?

Break off stinging shoots by hand or do you prefer to separate them cleanly with cutting tools? There is no clear answer to this, as each method has its advantages and disadvantages. That is why every tomato gardener has to find the most suitable method for himself.

• Stingy instincts have a simple break point
• especially the small shoots can be easily removed by hand
• larger shoots run the risk of unclean pulling out
• Plant sap leaves stains on the skin
• Cutting tool ensures smooth interfaces that heal well
• however, this method is more complex
• Blades can injure adjacent parts of the plant
• the cutting can quickly take place too close or too far to the main shoot

Tip: In any case, stingy instincts must not simply be torn. This means that other parts of the plant can easily tear off too. The "tattered" tear-off point can also heal poorly and thus increases the risk of disease.

Skimming step by step

Cutting tools are not absolutely necessary to prune the tomatoes. The young shoots can easily be removed by hand. A knife might only be necessary when the shoots are already stronger.

1. Wait for the suitable weather. So that the open areas heal well, it should be maxed out on a dry and warm day.

2. Carry out pricking out in the morning because the wounds can dry faster during the day.

3. Check each instinct to see whether it really is a tightness instinct. Do this systematically from top to bottom.

4. Take small and soft stinging shoots up to about 5 cm in length between your thumb and forefinger. Snap it off with your thumbnail close to the leaf axil.

5. Break off larger shoots, also close to the leaf axil. A knife can also be used for shoots that are too large.

6. Let the bottom stinging shoots stand. They give the tomato plant more stability.

7. Dab the open areas with a cloth; this will help the wounds heal more quickly.

Note: While stick tomatoes benefit from pruning, removing the shoots from bush tomatoes can be more damaging. Here all healthy shoots should definitely remain on the plant. Even slightly windy days are well suited for pruning, as the wind "blows" the moisture away from the plants and can thus dry the wounds quickly.

Tired of skimming?

Regular and time-consuming pruning can sometimes be annoying. Not everyone has the inclination or the time to do so. Something can be done in advance so that the tomato plants produce the desired yield even without pruning.

• cool and dark location causes bushy growth
• many greedy instincts are the result
• therefore choose an optimal location right from the start
• pay attention to a lot of warmth and light
• the tomato plant grows tall
• the need for stripping is reduced to a minimum.