Should you prune cherry tomatoes?

As with many things in the vegetable garden, there are two schools: those who prune cherry tomatoes and those who do not. If these are varieties that do not deserve cuts as drastic as their big sisters, it is sometimes useful to do a little maintenance to obtain beautiful cherry tomatoes quickly.

When to prune cherry tomatoes?

As with all tomato plants, pruning takes place during the summer, several times during the season because the primary objective is of course to promote fruit production. It is essential to prune tomato plants neatly, avoiding scars and other injuries that could attract parasites, bacteria and pests. For this, it is better to operate early in the morning on a day that promises to be very hot because the heat will allow the plant to heal quickly.

How to prune cherry tomatoes?

Cherry tomatoes are pruned in much the same way as tomato plants. You will need to start by cutting the leaves which are in contact with the ground because very often, around the base of the tomato, the earth is damp. Contact between moist soil and the leaf is the entry point for diseases. And even though cherry tomatoes are much more robust than classic tomato plants, it is still better to take precautions. is a very popular fungal disease tomatoes, cherry or large.

Unlike large tomato plants for which you only need to keep a single stem, cherry tomatoes grow on several main stems. The cherry tomato is a very vigorous species which, if allowed, grows in the form of a very dense little bush. However, to concentrate on fruit production, you will need to limit the development of your plants by keeping only two to three main stems. This will guarantee you a good harvest all summer long.

Then, during the season,, these small stems growing in the axil of the main stem and a secondary one. For what ? Because gourmands, as their name suggests, draw too much sap from the plant to the detriment of the growth of the plant but also the development of the fruits. The gourmands are easily removed by pressing them between your thumb and index finger.

Finally, in order to avoid excessive growth, particularly for greenhouse crops, it will also be necessary to top your cherry tomato plants. This involves cutting off the head of the main stem of your plant. This is an important step because as your plant grows, it will produce more stems and leaves. However, it is essential that the sap of the plant is used for the fruit-bearing stems. To obtain a good harvest, you will need to cut above about five groups of leaves.

Why prune cherry tomatoes?

In their natural state, cherry tomato plants grow like a small bush with many stems intertwined between them. If you decide to let your plants grow freely, which is entirely possible, particularly in permaculture or in a greenhouse, you risk being faced with fruits ripening late and many bouquets which will not reach maturity. This is why pruning is not obligatory but allows easier cultivation of cherry tomatoes.