Should you prune cherry tomatoes?

A cherry tomato's growth habit matters more than its fruit size when deciding how to prune it. Small-fruited varieties include tall cordon tomatoes as well as compact bush and trailing types.

When should you prune?

Check growing plants regularly for space and support. Remove unwanted side shoots while they are small, using clean hands or tools in dry weather. Very hot weather is not necessary for wounds to heal.

Match pruning to the variety

Train a tall cordon variety on one main stem or a few supported stems. Remove unwanted shoots from the leaf joints. Bush and trailing varieties usually retain their fruit-bearing branches; mainly remove damaged growth.

A side shoot can produce fruit too. It is not simply a drain on the plant. Whether you keep it depends on your space and training method. Remove low leaves touching the ground without stripping the plant of healthy foliage.

Stopping the plant late in the season

Towards the end of the growing season, you can remove a cordon plant's growing tip to give existing fruit a better chance to ripen. Keep leaves above the final retained flower truss. A flower truss is not a group of leaves: do not cut away five leaf groups as a general rule.

Is pruning compulsory?

No. More stems require more room and support. Very dense growth can restrict airflow, and late fruit may not ripen before cold weather. Pruning can make maintenance easier but does not guarantee a bigger crop; water, light, feeding and variety also matter.