Prune low level, ground hugging horizontal branches or not?

JerryHaskins · May 1, 2019

Every year, I set out tomato plants (usually Better Boy or Big Boy, but it could be most any indeterminate variety) in my raised beds and put store-bought tall cages around them for support.

I also mulch around the plants.

And every year the plants sneak a few branches out close to the ground. They grow so low that they escape from the cages and just grow horizontally, kind of resting on the mulch.

These stray branches do bear some tomatoes, but not as much as the main stem and the branches that are inside the cages.

And the low runaway branches get in the way of my tending to the tomatoes that grow inside the cages.

I am seriously thinking about just cutting those wayward branches off this year.

What is the consensus on doing so?

mikemansker · May 1, 2019

I prune mine from the bottom up as they grow.

brownrexx · May 1, 2019

I prune all of the low branches on my plants so that nothing touches the ground where the Early blight spores reside.

In fact I prune off all branches up to about 18" from the ground.

SQWIBB · May 1, 2019

I prune up to about 12".
This will be trimmed to the 2nd ring in a week or two, notice new branches at the soil level, these will be trimmed off as well

xellos99 · May 1, 2019

I put builders membrane under them to stop the hitting the ground in the first place as the photo.

But cut off one or two lower branches anyway because I was taught to bury tomato plants deep to get more roots.

001 (3).jpg

JerryHaskins · May 2, 2019

Thanks, folks, for the feedback!

Sounds like pruning low branches is a common practice. I am not sure why it took me so long to think about it.

I suppose, if I needed more plants, I could root the cuttings---but I have no more room for tomato plants and I hate growing them in containers.

taboule · May 2, 2019

You got your answer, only detail I can add is: do it early, while they're still small. Then you don't lose much growth energy, it gets re-routed to the higher branches.

May 1, 2019	#1
JerryHaskins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mississippi Posts: 166	Prune low level, ground hugging horizontal branches or not? Every year, I set out tomato plants (usually Better Boy or Big Boy, but it could be most any indeterminate variety) in my raised beds and put store-bought tall cages around them for support. I also mulch around the plants. And every year the plants sneak a few branches out close to the ground. They grow so low that they escape from the cages and just grow horizontally, kind of resting on the mulch. These stray branches do bear some tomatoes, but not as much as the main stem and the branches that are inside the cages. And the low runaway branches get in the way of my tending to the tomatoes that grow inside the cages. I am seriously thinking about just cutting those wayward branches off this year. What is the consensus on doing so?

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May 1, 2019	#2
mikemansker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Branson MO Posts: 441	I prune mine from the bottom up as they grow.

May 1, 2019	#3
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	I prune all of the low branches on my plants so that nothing touches the ground where the Early blight spores reside. In fact I prune off all branches up to about 18" from the ground.

May 1, 2019	#4
SQWIBB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Philly 7A Posts: 739	I prune up to about 12". This will be trimmed to the 2nd ring in a week or two, notice new branches at the soil level, these will be trimmed off as well

May 1, 2019	#5
xellos99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: wales uk Posts: 236	I put builders membrane under them to stop the hitting the ground in the first place as the photo. But cut off one or two lower branches anyway because I was taught to bury tomato plants deep to get more roots. 001 (3).jpg

May 2, 2019	#6
JerryHaskins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mississippi Posts: 166	Thanks, folks, for the feedback! Sounds like pruning low branches is a common practice. I am not sure why it took me so long to think about it. I suppose, if I needed more plants, I could root the cuttings---but I have no more room for tomato plants and I hate growing them in containers.

May 2, 2019	#7
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	You got your answer, only detail I can add is: do it early, while they're still small. Then you don't lose much growth energy, it gets re-routed to the higher branches.