If you’re growing tomatoes, you’ve probably noticed extra shoots appearing where the branches meet the stem. Understanding what are suckers on tomato plants is key to managing your garden’s health and yield. Suckers are the vigorous shoots that grow in the crotches of tomato plants. These small growths can develop into full branches if left unchecked, which changes the plant’s shape and fruit production.
This article explains everything you need to know about tomato suckers. You will learn how to identify them, the pros and cons of removing them, and clear instructions for pruning. We’ll cover different techniques for various tomato types so you can make the best choice for your garden.
What Are Suckers On Tomato Plants
As mentioned, a sucker is a small shoot that sprouts from the axil of a tomato plant. The axil is the angle between the main stem and a leaf branch. These shoots are called “suckers” because they can “suck” energy and nutrients away from the main growing parts of the plant.
All tomato plants produce suckers as part of their natural growth pattern. They are essentially new stems trying to establish themselves. If allowed to grow, a sucker will become a full-sized stem that produces its own leaves, flowers, and fruit.
The Basic Anatomy Of A Tomato Plant
To spot suckers easily, you need to know the basic parts of your tomato plant.
- Main Stem: The primary, central stalk of the plant that grows upward from the soil.
- Leaf Branch: The side stem that grows out from the main stem and holds the leaves and flower clusters.
- Axil: The crucial V-shaped junction where a leaf branch connects to the main stem. This is where suckers form.
- Flower/Fruit Cluster: The group of yellow flowers that develops into tomatoes, usually growing directly from a leaf branch.
How To Correctly Identify A Sucker
New gardeners sometimes confuse suckers with fruit clusters or new leaf growth. Here is a simple way to tell the difference.
Look at the growth point in the axil. A sucker will have tiny, true leaves developing right from the start. It looks like a miniature version of the main plant. A flower cluster, on the other hand, will start as a small knob that elongates and develops multiple tiny yellow buds, not leaves.
If you’re unsure, let it grow for a few days. A sucker will quickly produce leaves, while a flower cluster will reveal buds. This visual check prevents accidental removal of your future tomatoes.
Indeterminate Vs. Determinate Tomatoes: Why It Matters
The decision to remove suckers depends almost entirely on whether you are growing indeterminate or determinate tomato varieties. Getting this wrong can significantly reduce your harvest.
Understanding Indeterminate Tomato Plants
Indeterminate tomatoes are vining plants. They continue to grow taller and produce fruit throughout the entire growing season until killed by frost. They can become very large and require sturdy support.
- They have a more sprawling, vine-like habit.
- Fruit production is staggered over a long period.
- Common indeterminate varieties include ‘Beefsteak’, ‘Brandywine’, ‘Sungold’, ‘Sweet Million’, and most heirloom types.
For indeterminate plants, sucker management is a critical and regular task. It helps control the plant’s size, improves air circulation, and directs energy to developing fruit.
Understanding Determinate Tomato Plants
Determinate tomatoes, often called “bush” tomatoes, grow to a fixed, compact size. They flower and produce all their fruit in a relatively short, concentrated period, then they stop growing.
- They have a bushy, more contained growth habit.
- Most of the fruit ripens around the same time, ideal for canning or sauce-making.
- Common determinate varieties include ‘Roma’, ‘Celebrity’, ‘Mountain Pride’, and ‘Patio Princess’.
For determinate plants, you should generally avoid removing suckers. The plant’s natural bush shape is designed to support its fruit load. Pruning suckers can severely limit the number of fruit-producing branches and reduce your overall yield.
The Pros And Cons Of Removing Tomato Suckers
Whether you choose to prune suckers is a garden decision with real consequences. Here are the potential benefits and drawbacks to consider.
Advantages Of Pruning Suckers
Larger, Earlier Fruit
By removing extra growth, you channel the plant’s energy into fewer fruit clusters. This often results in larger tomatoes that may ripen slightly earlier because the plant’s resources are less divided.
Improved Airflow And Disease Prevention
A dense, bushy plant traps moisture and restricts air movement. This creates a perfect environment for fungal diseases like blight and leaf spot. Pruning suckers opens up the plant, allowing leaves to dry faster and improving overall health.
Easier Plant Management And Harvest
A pruned plant is tidier and takes up less space. It’s easier to inspect for pests, tie to a support, and, ultimately, find and pick ripe tomatoes. This is especially important in small gardens or raised beds.
Potential Disadvantages Of Pruning
Risk Of Over-Pruning And Sunscald
Removing too many leaves and suckers can overexpose the developing fruit to direct sunlight. This can lead to sunscald, which causes pale, leathery, or blistered patches on the tomatoes. You need to maintain enough foliage to provide light shade.
Reduced Total Yield For Some Plants
As noted, pruning determinate varieties will directly lower your total number of tomatoes. Even on indeterminate plants, each sucker you remove is a potential fruit-bearing branch you are eliminating, which could mean fewer tomatoes overall, even if they are bigger.
Increased Risk Of Disease Transmission
Every time you make a cut on a plant, you create an open wound. If your pruners are not clean, or if you prune when the plant is wet, you can accidentally introduce bacteria or fungi into the plant’s system.
Step-By-Step Guide To Pruning Tomato Suckers
If you’ve decided to prune your indeterminate tomatoes, follow this safe and effective method.
When To Start Pruning And How Often
Begin pruning when your tomato plant is well-established, usually about 12-18 inches tall, and the first flower cluster is visible. Early suckers are small and easy to remove.
Make pruning a regular part of your garden routine. Check your plants at least once a week throughout the growing season. Suckers grow quickly, and it’s much easier to pinch off a tiny one than to cut a thick, mature stem later.
The Tools You Will Need
- Your Fingers: For suckers less than 2-3 inches long, pinching with your thumb and forefinger is the best method. It’s quick and minimizes damage.
- Sharp, Clean Pruners: For larger, woodier suckers, use a pair of sharp bypass pruners. Dull tools can crush the stem.
- Disinfectant: Wipe your pruner blades with rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant wipe between plants to prevent spreading disease.
Proper Pruning Technique: Pinching Vs. Cutting
The goal is to remove the sucker cleanly without damaging the main stem or leaf branch.
- Locate the sucker in the axil.
- For small suckers, grasp it firmly between your thumb and index finger. Bend it side to side until it snaps off cleanly at its base.
- For larger suckers, use your pruners. Position the blades as close to the base of the sucker as possible without cutting into the main stem. Make a single, clean cut.
- Always avoid tearing or stripping the bark from the plant, as this creates a larger wound.
How Many Suckers To Remove: Pruning Strategies
You don’t have to remove every single sucker. Different strategies offer different levels of management.
The Single-Stem Method
This is the most aggressive approach. You remove all suckers, resulting in one main stem trained vertically up a stake or string. All energy goes to the fruit on that single stem, promoting very large fruit and excellent airflow. It’s ideal for small spaces.
The Double-Stem (Or Two-Leader) Method
This is a common and effective compromise. You allow one strong, low sucker to develop into a second main stem. You then remove all other suckers from both stems. This doubles your potential fruit-bearing branches while still maintaining good control and air circulation.
To do this, identify a healthy sucker just below the first flower cluster. Let this one grow while pinching off all others. You will then have two main stems to support.
The Missouri Pruning Method
This is a less intensive technique. Instead of pinching the sucker off completely, you pinch out just its growing tip, leaving the first two leaves on the sucker intact. This slows the sucker’s growth without shocking the plant with a large wound. The remaining leaves contribute to photosynthesis. It’s a good option in very hot climates where more foliage is needed to protect fruit from sun.
Common Mistakes To Avoid With Tomato Suckers
Even with good intentions, it’s easy to make errors when dealing with suckers. Here are the most frequent ones.
Pruning Determinate Tomato Varieties
This is the number one mistake. Remember, determinate (bush) tomatoes need their suckers to form their full, productive shape. Pruning them heavily will give you a much smaller harvest.
Pruning With Dirty Tools
Using dirty pruners is like performing surgery with a contaminated scalpel. Always disinfect your tools before moving from one plant to the next to stop the spread of blight or other diseases.
Pruning At The Wrong Time Of Day
Avoid pruning in the rain or when the plants are wet from dew or watering. Wet conditions make it easier for disease spores to enter the fresh wounds. The best time to prune is on a dry, sunny morning, giving cuts time to callus over during the day.
Removing Too Much Foliage At Once
Never remove more than one-third of a plant’s total foliage in a single pruning session. Severe over-pruning can shock the plant, stunt its growth, and leave fruit vulnerable to sunscald. It’s better to prune small amounts regularly.
Advanced Tips For Sucker Management
Once you’ve mastered the basics, these tips can help you refine your approach for an even better harvest.
Using Suckers To Propagate New Plants
A tomato sucker is not just a throwaway piece of growth. It is a clone of the parent plant and can be rooted to create a new, free tomato plant. This is a great way to extend your season or share plants with friends.
- Select a healthy sucker that is 4-6 inches long.
- Snip it off with clean pruners.
- Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting.
- Place the cutting in a glass of water or directly into a pot of moist potting mix.
- Keep it in a bright, indirect light location. Roots should form in 7-14 days. Once rooted, you can plant it in the garden or a container.
Managing Suckers In Container Gardens
Tomatoes in pots have limited root space and nutrients. Pruning is often more critical here to prevent the plant from becoming root-bound and stressed. The single-stem or double-stem method works very well for container-grown indeterminate tomatoes, ensuring the plant’s size and fruit load are manageable for the pot.
Seasonal Considerations For Pruning
Your pruning strategy can change as the season progresses. In early to mid-season, focus on shaping the plant and encouraging fruit set. By late summer, about 4-6 weeks before your first expected frost, you should perform “topping.” This means pinching off the growing tip of the main stem(s). This stops the plant from putting energy into new growth and instead directs all remaining energy into ripening the existing fruit before the cold arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tomato Suckers
Can You Plant A Tomato Sucker?
Yes, absolutely. As described above, tomato suckers are perfect for propagation. They root easily in water or soil and will grow into a full-sized plant identical to the one it came from. This is an efficient and cost-effective way to get more plants.
What Happens If You Don’t Remove Suckers?
If you don’t remove suckers from indeterminate plants, they will grow into full, thick stems. The plant will become a large, sprawling, multi-branched bush. This can lead to a higher total number of smaller tomatoes, increased disease risk from poor airflow, and a tangled, difficult-to-manage garden plant. For determinate plants, not removing suckers is the correct approach.
How Do You Find The Sucker On A Tomato Plant?
Look at the point where a leaf branch connects to the main stem. Examine that V-shaped junction, or axil. Any new growth emerging from that point, other than a flower cluster, is a sucker. It will look like a small stem with tiny leaves.
Should You Prune Suckers On Cherry Tomato Plants?
It depends on the type. Most popular cherry tomato varieties, like ‘Sungold’ or ‘Sweet Million’, are indeterminate and benefit from some sucker pruning to keep their vigorous vines under control. However, determinate cherry tomato varieties exist, so always check your seed packet or plant tag. For indeterminate cherries, a moderate approach like the double-stem method often works well to balance yield and manageability.
Is It Too Late To Prune Tomato Suckers?
It is never too late to remove a sucker, but the technique changes. For large, mature suckers that are already thick and woody, use sharp, clean pruners to make a clean cut as close to the base as possible. Be aware that removing a large, established branch with fruit on it will reduce your yield and create a significant wound. It’s always better to prune when suckers are small, but managing an overgrown plant is still possible with careful cuts.
Understanding what are suckers on tomato plants gives you powerful control over your garden’s productivity. By correctly identifying these shoots and making informed choices about pruning based on your tomato type, you can guide your plants toward a healthier and more abundant harvest. The key is to observe your plants regularly, use clean tools, and remember that a little consistent maintenance is far better than occasional heavy pruning. With this knowledge, you can confidently shape your tomato plants to suit your garden space and goals.