I've gone both ways with tomatoes, pruning and not. I feel the indeterminate varieties produce better tomatoes and are more manageable if pruned to some extent. I do have a theory that the act of pruning -- while blossoms are present -- shakes the plant just a bit, releasing pollen and helping with fruit set. That said, I haven't done much pruning this year....

We've been having our usual 4:30 a.m. rainstorm for a few hours now. I feel like the almost constant rainfall is keeping far too much moisture on the foliage, and foliar diseases are going to become even more of a major issue here than they already are. So, I'll probably be pruning off some lateral branches over the next couple of weeks, but it will be because of the rain, not because I want to remove them. At the rate things are going, we're going to have a huge tomato harvest, but if the rain doesn't stop, the flavor and texture will suffer. I picked ripe plums yesterday but we have lost a lot that have split due to excess moisture. I hope that doesn't start happening with the tomatoes.

Lateral Branches,

I don't if what I do is right this is why I am asking. I always prune off the branches close to the bottom of a tomato plant that touches the soil as these usually will take diseases. I pinch off the early lateral sprouts so that the main plant will get all the energy. I stake my tomatoes on 1 1/4" white plastic pipe, mainly because that is what I had laying around on hand, so it was cheap. I use my "Better Half's" old throw away panty hose cut into strings to tie up the tomato plants to the pipe, according to Jerry Baker, 'Master Gardener', the elastic in the hose makes static electricity when the wind blows which makes nitrogen that is absorbed by the plant and helps it grow. I have no idea if this really works or not, but it doesn't cost anything either. I am all for saving anywhere I can. Another thing is stale cola will sometimes help a plant that is not growing quite like it should, another Jerry Baker idea, (but sometimes not). Every thing grown in my garden is grown from seed to try and save on expense. A lot of my seeds are saved back each year if possible. Now that everyone thinks that I am a cheap skinflint, I must say that I give a lot of what I grow to friends who are home bound and not able to garden and get fresh produce. I have also learned a few tricks fro reading from contributors who write on this forum.

I don't think it is a matter of what is right or what is wrong. They are many ways to grow each and every thing. I think it is a matter of finding what works best for you in your soil, with whatever moisture level you get (or provide via irrigation), in whatever growing conditions you have.

I just really hate to prune off lateral branches that are healthy because I know what the July and August sun and heat can do to tomatoes that don't have good shade cover, and you never know when diseases, tomato hornworms, spider mites, etc. will do their part to remove some of your foliage and branches, whether you want them to do it or not. Some years it is like I have to fight Mother Nature for every leaf on a tomato plant. Other years, the disease and pest issues are just naturally low to non-existent and I don't even really think that much about the tomato plants other than going out there every day and harvesting.

I also think that what works well for me most years in relatively dry and hot southcentral OK might not be the same thing that works for someone in a part of OK, like northeastern OK, where the relative humidity, dewpoint and moisture levels are often a lot higher than what I see here. It might be smart to do a lot more pruning of lateral branches in an area that has high moisture and high humidity. And, it also depends on how much sunlight your plants get. If a person has tomato plants in full sun from sunrise to sunset, those plants need their lateral branches to shade the fruit from that long period of intense summer sun every day. Someone who lives in an area where there's lots of trees, and they have tomato plants that might only get 6-8 hours of sun a day probably wouldn't have to worry so much about sunscald and could feel free to prune off more lateral limbs. Oh, and of course, it also matters how closely together the tomato plants are planted. A person who plants their tomato plants 3 or 4' apart probably doesn't have to wory about good air flow as much as someone who plants their tomato plants 18-24" apart.

If what you're doing is working for you, I certainly wouldn't change it. There's no right or wrong if something is working. To me, if it works, it is right. And, if it doesn't work, let's blame it on the weather or garden gnomes or something else.

I plant fairly close together in containers and usually trim up the bottom leaves until I hit the 1st truss of tomatoes. This works well for me.

Rick

I plant ark travelers. They are indeterminate. I have for the last 4 years let them grow. No removing lateral branches, no sucker pruning. They have produced well. For me, I hate not removing the lateral branches. I hate them in the path, I hate the rabbits and voles getting them, I just hate it. This year I chose to prune suckers, remove the lateral branches and I also chose to stake them on panels instead of a stake. I've never used the cages so I have no opinion on that. I do feel that my tomatoes are larger so far and healthier. The last four years, not so much. I'll let you know how this turns out. Like Dawn said, there's no right or wrong way. If it works for you, it's right.

Karen Holt,

I like the Arkansas Travelers and have planted them for about 8 yrs. now. They can take the heat and humidity better than other tomatoes I have tried plus I like their sweet taste. I also like the Cherokee Purple tomatoes. I appreciate everyone's advice.