Late Season Tomato Plant Pruning

Question

Our late wet summer start-up caused delays for many Oregon gardeners. My tomato plants got caught up in size but there is no way, especially with our short growing season, the fruit will all ripen. How do I trim big tomato plants to give the ‘babies’ an opportunity to grow and ripen over the course of the next 4-6 weeks?

Answer 1

We normally do not advise pruning tomatoes, and the tomato fruit ripen with heat rather than sunlight. But if it is very dense, it could cause problems with airflow, which can invite disease in. If you decide to prune, use a very clean pair of shears and cut at the place where the branch you are trimming meets the stem. Allow it to air dry and do not water the foliage of the plant for a day after you prune.

In the event that your tomatoes haven't fully ripened before the cooler weather arrives, you can go ahead and pick them to ripen indoors. This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/how-to-turn-green-tomatoes-red-how-to-store-tomatoes-in-the-fall.htm