How to String & Sucker Tomato Plants

[Jagonomic]

On normal wind conditions, this training actually damages the tomato production (Not everyone afford a greenhouse). I prefer leaving low stem suckers, pinching above and prune the top of the plant to lower its center of gravity. I leave the plants to grow in ground level, and they manage themselves with the wind just fine.

[qin02]

thanks for the vid, I am using the stringing method here in sydney. I have also noticed there is an added benefit of stringing method if employed for tomatos grown outdoors. branches move with the wind, they get stronger as a result, and more chance of wind pollination

[aquebede]

Gardening videos are my porn.

[BalconyGrow]

Great info. Thanks for sharing. ~Jeri

[Teddybearcop48]

I'm very educational. Thank you !

[seocom]

I love that greenhouse.. it is huge!

[TheManonCanon]

excellent video on a poorly understood topic...

[chrlsnewsom5]

Odd responses on this video once more.

[gympvox]

do you personally clone the sucker i have and it seems to work very fast with tomatoes

[thegreattintin]

Thank you very much for the details and very informative. i am going to grow this summer in my garden, its winter in Auckland. :)

[HDTView]

i put the suckers in a vase to try and transplant them. but i will do so in a pot on the porch and not in the ground. this way i can stake them up. and they be hidden. is it possible to dig up the first plant so i can transplant it in a container? thanks

[FrontPorchFarm]

@HDTView Tomatoes transplant very well. I have never transplanted a large tomato, but you'd need a container at least 5 gallons for a plant that size. Since this is late in the season, I'm not sure how much growth you would actually get. Transplanting will most likely stress the plant and speed up the maturity of the tomatoes already on it.

[HDTView]

so i actually did this with a pole and it came out nice. about 3'. but my dad didnt like how it is in the front yard in the center of the yard. so he made me take it out and lay it flat. he said he didnt want to draw attention to passerbys. what ever. im only pissed cause three tomatoes fell off and i think i broke the top third but i dont want to remove it cause i dont think its that bad.

[HDTView]

a very good video. there is one plant that spont. sprouted and it is big. about 3 feet. i like the string method but i cant use it cause there is nothing above to tie it to. i will buy a wreath stand. it is about 6 feet tall and i will use that. hope it works . i am also gonna start to sucker now that i know how to do it. thanks

[shannonator777]

awesome vid. Thanks heaps.

[Leutchik]

The string-winding method seems great - for directing the growth of the main stalk upwards ... but how about when the plant gets heavily laden with fruit? How exactly will you be supporting those heavy branches?

I tend to want to let tomatoes ripen on the plant, but as that time approaches, the branch is so heavy it is threatening to damage the plant. HELP.

[FrontPorchFarm]

@Leutchik I've never had a problem with the branches breaking from the weight of the fruit. But you might try winding twine around and through the cluster of tomatoes back up towards the stem and tie it to your main string.

[lavesusmanos]

Out of all the videos I've watched on pruning / suckering tomatoes, this was the BEST. Thanks! Great job!!

[z3ro66]

@lavesusmanos agreed

[MrDae006]

We have tried this for 4 of our 12 plants. We have 4 heirloom plants on the strings. By looking at the video, our plants don't seem to be growing up. The are very bushy compared to the ones on the video. I have been suckering, but maybe have been too careful. Yours seem to be much less bushy and growing taller as opposed to mine. Any suggestions?

[FrontPorchFarm]

@MrDae006 There is a possibility that you have a determinate variety of tomato plant, and you probably shouldn't keep suckering them. Check out the links in the video description to further explain the difference on determinate and indeterminate.

[doubleoctave]

This video was a huge help to me. Clearly explained

Thanks for posting this

Dave>

[mstrhck]

Thank you! This is the most helpful and informative video on pruning tomato plants I've ever seen. You really gave a thorough and clear depiction of how to do this properly.

[SirHughJass]

Thank you so much! This is incredibly helpful and the best video I've watched on how to string and sucker tomatoes. I also liked the tip about pollination. I'm stringing eight different varieties of tomatoes for the first time, can't wait to see what happens.

[farrahjean12]

This was THE BEST video on how to sucker a tomato plant. It also kind of hurt because I have been doing it all wrong and I hope I did not harm my plants so far. Thank you for the knowledge. It was a WONDERFUL and very informative video.

[TheJuiceh]

this is one of the most informative videos I've seen. Thank you for sharing!!! :)

[Eggdog12345]

This was a perfect vid to show me how to do something I've always wanted to figure out. I have a question, I started suckering my plants and have set up strings also. I have 4 or 5 plants that have actually forked about 5 stems up and both forks have blossoms on them. Should I remove one of the forks or let them go, seems it may get tricky to string them up as they get bigger. Doesn't really look like one was a sucker. Thanks.

[FrontPorchFarm]

@Eggdog12345 This year I tried leaving two main stems (video forthcoming). I wouldn't leave more than two or three, though--and those you leave, you'll need to string, and remove the suckers from them, as well.

[doug5959]

very good thank you

[OurFreedomGarden]

Finally...this is the best video I've found on this topic. I ruined two plants by cutting what I was not supposed to cut. Thank you for this informative video.

[wheetgeneration]

Question: where do you obtain the string that you use? Any idea who makes it?

[4micaman]

@wheetgeneration Most any farm or agricultural supply center should have it. If you're in or close to a rural area, look for that counties Co-op, too. Or, just search the interwebs for "bailing twine" and you'll find a plethora of options.

[wheetgeneration]

Best discussion of this I have found. Thanks so much for producing this video.

[questionmarke]

After watching about a dozen videos that purport to explain how to properly prune a tomato plant, finally I find yours which gives me confidence that I know how to approach the task! Thanks!

[bowler8]

very good video...explains it all

[19Photographer76]

Well done and thanks!

[vsop333]

Finally a video that shows this subject CLEARLY. So many other videos on here showing this process with the camera about 5 feet away.

[mpower2005]

Great video!! Thanks so much.

[FrontPorchFarm]

@SleepIsMagic It's hard to tell just by looking whether plants are determinate or indeterminate. Your best bet is to check the tag that came with your tomatoes, and see if they are supposed to be a bush variety or not. See the links we added to this video's description for more details on determinate vs. indeterminate. But when in doubt, don't sucker--it could stunt the plant's growth.

[ljrshang1]

Excellent!!! Greetings from Germany!

[calacupcake]

By far the most clear and detailed demonstration of suckering and stringing I could find. Thanks

[gsgenocide]

Outstanding informational video. Much more information packed into this video than other providers. Thank you and please keep up the great work!

[FrontPorchFarm]

@mmatth2194 We've tried using tomato string, but it tends to break. Orange plastic baling twine has worked best for us.

[mmatth2194]

Great video. Thank you for taking the time. What type or how heavey of string do you use?

[GABRAELakaDEAN]

Great tutorial, clear, concise & expertly done! Keep up the good work.

[donarcher2008]

Very good information, you make it simple for the new guys to growing tomatoes. Thank you, straight forward stuff.

[klordnh]

this helped me so much thank you very much for sharing the info!!

[DesertDigger1]

I saved this video in my favorites!

[casamartin2]

Best video by far: clear instructions, simple methods and IT MAKES SENSE! Thank you!

[fkelly84]

exactly what i needed to hear...thanx

[I3addogy]

Very informative, thank you very much for sharing this info.

[PALMYRA73]

well detailed video thanks

[simplerusss]

wow! this is the best step by step pruning tomatoes ive seen in youtube!

unlike the others where its all talk and no actual demo.

I can actually see what to prune now instead of me acting like a tomato barber ^_^

Hope you have a step to step guide to from seeds>seeedlings>fertlization for tomatoes

That would be great!

[smoothbore09]

Thanks as well, Your'e helping to make me a back-yard HERO!

[evam117]

very informative thank you for taking your time making this video.