'Effective' pruning trick will make tomato plants thrive this summer - and taste better

Simple pruning trick can help you achieve a thriving tomato plant

As green-fingered folk track the progress of their tomato plants this summer, one gardening expert has shared a little-known pruning trick that will increase your harvest.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has revealed that tomatoes are the most popular vegetable to grow at home, as they can result in masses of fresh, delicious fruits. According to Gardeners' World, the popular plant requires "rich, fertile soil or large pots of peat-free potting compost, and a good sunny, sheltered spot" to thrive.

The experts also encourage watering the plant regularly and feeding weekly with a "high-potash fertiliser". However, green-thumbed guru Jamie Walton has suggested that there’s one important step that’s often overlooked.

Taking to TikTok, under the username @nettlesandpetals , Jamie explained how pruning helps to grow a more "manageable and healthier" plant. He said: "First, it’s important to determine if your plant actually needs pruning at all.

"So, is it an indeterminate vining variety that can be pruned to a single tall stem and trellised to grow upwards or a determinate bush variety that can be left to grow to its determined size." The expert continued: "If it’s indeterminate, I will begin to prune them a couple of weeks after planting."

Jamie added that he starts by removing any lower leaves that are touching the soil, as they are more susceptible to issues, such as mildew. He then prunes the side shoots, which grow at a 45 degree angle in the axil of the plant, between the main stem and the leaves.

"I remove them all the way up the plant, but always leave the growing point to continue to grow," he said. The trimmed side shoots can then be rooted in water to create a "duplicate" of the original plant.

He continued: "I then just keep training the plant up the twine support as it grows. "If the plant has developed two main stems, both could be trained up separate supports, or just prune one away and pop it in water as that will create a nice new plant."

According to The Spruce, indeterminate tomato varieties describe vining plants that continue to grow longer and set fruit throughout the growing season. Popular indeterminate options include Beefsteak, Big Boy, Brandywine, Sungold, and Sweet Million, explains Watters Garden Center.

Meanwhile, determinate tomatoes reach their mature height, set all their fruit at once, and stop growing, adds The Spruce. These include Roma, Rutgers, Carolina Gold, and Bush Early Girl.