Trim suckers between the main stem and branches, and remove leaves below the first fruit cluster
The two places that matter most on a tomato plant are the suckers — the shoots that grow in the angle between the main stem and a branch — and the lower leaves that sit below your first ripe tomatoes. Removing suckers redirects energy into fruit instead of extra foliage. Removing lower leaves improves air flow around the base of the plant, which cuts down on fungal disease. Both cuts are safe to make and will not harm the plant.
Suckers look like small stems sprouting sideways from the crotch where a branch meets the main stem. On a determinate plant (the bush type that fruits all at once), you can leave most suckers alone — they will not crowd the plant enough to matter. On an indeterminate plant (the tall type that keeps growing and fruiting all season), removing suckers is worth your time because these plants get large and dense.
Lower leaves are any leaves that sit below the lowest tomato on the vine. Once fruit is visible on a branch, the leaves below it are no longer feeding that fruit — they are just sitting there collecting moisture and blocking air. Removing them opens up the base of the plant to light and breeze, which dries the soil faster after rain and makes fungal spores less likely to take hold.
Key Takeaways
- Suckers grow in the angle between the main stem and a branch and should be pinched off on indeterminate (tall) tomato plants to direct energy into fruit.
- Lower leaves — any leaves below the lowest tomato on the vine — can be removed once fruit appears on that branch without harming the plant.
- Remove leaves and suckers when they are small, using your fingers or clean pruners, to avoid wounding the plant.
- Fungal disease spreads faster in dense, humid foliage, so improving air flow around the base of the plant reduces disease risk.
How to identify and remove suckers
A sucker is a thin shoot that grows at a sharp angle from the main stem, right where a branch splits off. It looks different from a normal branch — thinner, more upright, and growing sideways out of the joint rather than extending the plant's natural shape. If you run your hand down the main stem, you will feel these small shoots sticking out.
Pinch off suckers when they are 2 to 4 inches long, before they get woody and hard to remove. Use your thumb and forefinger to snap them off, or use clean pruners if they have thickened. Do this once a week during the growing season on indeterminate plants. On determinate plants, you can skip this step — the plant is genetically programmed to stay compact, so suckers will not crowd it the way they do on a tall variety.
Do not remove the main stem or the primary branches — only the small shoots growing out of the joints. If you are unsure whether something is a sucker or a branch, leave it alone for a week and watch where it grows. A sucker will stay thin and upright. A branch will thicken and produce leaves and flowers.
When and how to remove lower leaves
Start removing lower leaves once the first tomato on a branch reaches the size of a golf ball. At that point, the leaves below it are not feeding the fruit anymore — they are just part of the plant's canopy. Removing them will not slow ripening or reduce the plant's overall health.
Remove leaves one or two at a time, working your way up from the bottom of the plant. Stop when you reach leaves that are still below the lowest fruit cluster but above the soil line — you want to leave at least a few inches of bare stem at the base for air to move through. Use clean pruners or pinch them off by hand. If a leaf is attached to a branch that also has fruit on it, remove only the leaf, not the branch.
The best time to remove leaves is in the morning when the plant is dry and the cuts will heal faster. Avoid removing more than one-third of the plant's foliage in a single week, as this can stress the plant. If disease is already present on lower leaves (dark spots, yellowing, or fuzzy growth), remove those leaves when ready, even if fruit has not yet appeared on that branch.
Pruning the top of the plant in late summer
In late summer, about 4 to 6 weeks before your first frost date, you can pinch off the growing tip of the main stem on an indeterminate plant. This stops the plant from putting energy into new growth and flowers that will not have time to ripen. Instead, the plant directs that energy into the tomatoes already on the vine.
Find the very tip of the main stem — the newest, smallest leaves at the top — and pinch it off with your fingers. Do this only once per plant, and only if you have already harvested some fruit. If you do this too early in the season, you will lose too many potential flowers. If you do this on a determinate plant, skip it entirely — these plants are already programmed to stop growing and focus on ripening.
Tools and safety for pruning
You do not need special tools to prune tomatoes. Your fingers are enough for suckers and small leaves. For thicker stems or leaves that are hard to pinch, use a pair of clean hand pruners — the kind that fit in your palm and cut with a single blade against a flat surface. Avoid anvil pruners (the kind with two blades that crush together), as they can damage the plant.
Clean your pruners with rubbing alcohol or a 10 percent bleach solution before and after use, especially if you are moving between plants or if a plant shows signs of disease. Dirty tools can spread fungal spores and bacteria from one plant to another. If you do not have pruners, a clean knife works just as well.
Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive — tomato plants have fine hairs on the stems that can irritate some people. Work in the morning or evening when the plant is not stressed by heat. Avoid pruning during or right after rain, when the plant is wet and more prone to disease.
What not to prune
Do not remove branches that have flowers or fruit on them, even if they look crowded. The plant needs these branches to produce tomatoes. Do not remove more than one-third of the plant's total foliage in a single week — this stresses the plant and can slow ripening. Do not prune determinate plants heavily; these compact varieties do not need the same level of pruning as tall indeterminate types.
Do not prune if the plant is already stressed by drought, extreme heat, or disease. Wait until conditions improve. Do not prune the roots or the base of the stem — all pruning should happen above the soil line. If you accidentally damage the main stem, the plant will usually recover, but try to avoid it.
Why pruning matters for disease prevention
Fungal diseases like early blight and septoria leaf spot thrive in dense, humid foliage where air cannot move freely. These diseases start on lower leaves and work their way up the plant. By removing lower leaves and suckers, you open up the base of the plant to air and light, which dries the foliage faster after rain and makes it harder for spores to take hold.
Pruning also makes it easier to see the plant and spot disease early. A dense plant can hide infected leaves until the disease has spread. An open plant lets you see every leaf and catch problems before they get out of hand. If you do spot diseased leaves, remove them when ready — do not wait for a scheduled pruning day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prune tomato plants in the middle of the day?
You can, but morning or evening is better. Pruning in the heat of the day stresses the plant because it has just lost foliage and cannot shade itself as well. Morning pruning lets the cuts heal during the day. Evening pruning is fine too, as long as you avoid doing it right before rain.
Will pruning reduce how many tomatoes I get?
No. Removing suckers and lower leaves actually increases fruit production on indeterminate plants by directing energy into the tomatoes that will ripen, rather than into extra foliage. On determinate plants, pruning makes little difference because the plant is already compact.
What if I accidentally cut off a branch with fruit on it?
The plant will survive. Harvest the tomatoes on that branch if they are mature enough to eat, or let them ripen on the counter indoors. The plant will continue producing fruit on its other branches. Next time, mark the branches with fruit with a small stake or tie so you know which ones to avoid.
How do I know if I am removing too many leaves?
If you can see more bare stem than foliage, you have removed too much. Aim to leave at least two-thirds of the plant's leaves in place. If you are unsure, remove fewer leaves — you can always remove more next week, but you cannot put them back.
Do I need to prune cherry tomatoes?
Cherry tomato plants are usually indeterminate and get very large, so removing suckers helps keep them manageable. Removing lower leaves is still a good idea for disease prevention. However, cherry tomatoes are more forgiving than larger slicing varieties, so light pruning is fine if you prefer a fuller plant.