Tomatoes

Question

I have a gardening book that says to pinch off the top, leader end of the tomato plant when you see the first 6 flowers appear. Do you do that if the top also has additional flowers on it?

Answer 1

Pinching and pruning tomatoes is a debated practice. There is little proof that this actually helps with production and lots of proof that it opens then plant up to disease.

I personally would say to leave the plants as they are. Make sure they can grow upright as high as possible and you will have plants that are plenty big enough. Pinching the top will produce a more sprawling plant (because it forces the side shoots to grow), which I have found does not suit most gardener's gardens.