Best to pinch out leaving a single leaf at the top this makes the plant continue to feed the leaf and therefore any fruits just below it. Topping your tomato plants has a lot of benefits but you should know when is the right time to do this.
I Know I Previously Mentioned Tomato Blight An Infection That Can Do Some Serious Damage To Tomatoes In Dam Pruning Tomato Plants Tomato Growers Tomato Garden
From a plant disease perspective its not too advisable to top your tomato plants.

Topping tomato plants. This fruit is forced to compete with growing stalks for the sugar plants create through. Assuming the side shoots have also been pinched out the plant cant grow in any direction and thats when the weird plantlets may start forming and sometimes new side shoots start to appear. And it will help the roots provide nutrients to all parts of the plant.
Once an individual learns what tomato topping is and experiences the benefits they have an entire list of reasons for continuing the process including. If you are selling seedlings or transplanting them into your garden this will give the plants 2 weeks to recover. When tomatoes get too tall it could be time to tame them.
Managing your tomato plants by learning how and when to prune them is one of the key secrets for producing a healthier and better crop of tomatoes. Knowing how to top tomatoes can keep your plants looking good and under control. In this video Jo.
When you top a plant that is a large opening for diseases to take advantage of. When the plants regrow they may also come back sturdier in many cases. Toward the end of the annual growth cycle tomato plants still bear fruit that is not fully mature.
If you plan to begin topping start with 8 week old tomato seedlings. That small amount of time will make a big difference. You could also top plants that are already in your garden.
Soil borne diseases such as tomato blight are caused from spores living in the dirt below. This should only be done when there isnt much growing time left for the remaining fruits on the plant as it will allow the nutrients to be redirected to them instead of the plant trying to keep growing more leaves and branches. It is your choice of course but topping tomato plants is certainly NOT a common practice.
If left unpruned these suckers will eventually grow into full-sized branchesadding lots of foliage and eventually a few fruits. Cut off each top. Look for the tomato suckers which grow in the V space between the main stem and the branches on your tomato plant.
How to Prune Tomatoes. Called topping this type of pruning causes the plant to stop flowering and setting new fruit and instead directs all sugars to the remaining fruit. Here is a link that might be useful.
Topping tomato plants can provide strength to weak leggy plants. Tomato plants need to move and sway in the breeze to develop strong stems. Pruning helps provide valuable circulation and light to tomato plants.
Why Do People Practice Tomato Plant Topping. Young plants are able to withstand wind and rain better. The biggest drawback of course is lost production.
Why not check over on the Tomatoes Forum linked at the top of this forums front page as this question is frequently discussed there. Pulling off flowers and suckers are more advisable because you are not creating large wounds. That happens naturally outdoors but if you start your seedlings inside you need to provide some type of air circulation.
Create a breeze by turning a fan on them for five to 10 minutes twice a day. If you decide to prune its really a very simple process. Top the tomato plant when it grows to the top of its cage or stake.
Much of the rot and disease that affect tomato plants comes from the soil. By doing this it allows more of the plants energy to be directed at growing the fruit as opposed to the stems. Tomato topping benefits plants by redirecting sugars and nutrients.
Plants grow back healthier. It will prevent the tomato plant from growing tall and developing a weak stem. This way the fruit will ripen faster plus it becomes more likely that the green tomatoes you pick before frost will actually ripen when you bring them indoors.
Leggy plants grow back thicker and sturdier. Tomato plants are hardy and typically produce a good crop even without pruning but pruning them produces an even better crop of delicious mouth-watering tomatoes. If you cut them back and allow them the opportunity to regrow many times they grow back stronger.
It may be hard to bring yourself to do this but it will be worth it if you wish for ripe tomatoes. These spores are easily transmitted to plants when they splash up on the lower leaves of plants. You can cut off the top of the tomato plant the terminal shoot at the end of its growing season to encourage it to grow as much as possible before the end of the plants life.
If you have a plant that was overrun with weeds then became sparse and leggy simply cut the vine back. You should top your tomato plants because it will help grow bigger tomatoes and more of them.
Late Summer Tomato Pruning Tip To Maximize Fall Yield Tomato Pruning Summer Tomato Edible Garden
How To Top Tomatoes Tomato Plant Care Tomato Pruning Pruning Tomato Plants
Stake Prune Your Beefsteaks Blog Diliso S Fine Foods Pruning Tomato Plants Growing Tomato Plants Tomato Garden
Gently Wind The Rope Around The Tomato Plant Being Careful Not To Break The Growing Tips Every Week Growing Tomato Plants Tomato Garden Pruning Tomato Plants
How To Prune Tomatoes For A Big Harvest Bonnie Plants Tomato Pruning Pruning Tomato Plants Growing Tomato Plants
Staking Tomatoes Brings Benefits Responsibilities Pruning Tomato Plants Plants Growing Vegetables
How To Prune Tomato Plants So They Keep Producing All Summer Growing Tomato Plants Pruning Tomato Plants Tomato Pruning
How To Grow Tomatoes From Seeds Pruning Tomato Plants Tomato Growers Tomato Plants
Here S How To Prune Your Tomatoes For A Bigger Harvest Pruning Tomato Plants Tomato Pruning Tomato Garden
Here S The Difference Between Determinate And Indeterminate Tomatoes Growing Tomatoes In Containers Indeterminate Tomatoes Growing Tomatoes
How To Grow Tomato Plants From Cuttings In 1 Week Growing Tomato Plants Pruning Tomato Plants Growing Tomatoes In Containers
Topping Last Reason To Prune Is To Get The Most Out Of Your Plant Before Frost Kills It A Month Before The First Frost R Tomato Pruning Prune Tomato Plants
How To Prune Tomatoes Topping Tomato Plants When They Get Too Tall Joe Gardener Plants How To Prune Tomato Plants Tomato Plants
How To Prune Tomato Plants The Secret To Tastier Tomatoes Survival Gardening How To Prune Tomato Plants Prune Tomato Plants
How To Prune Tomatoes For Earlier Harvests Higher Yields Healthier Plants Tomato Pruning Pruning Tomato Plants Growing Tomato Plants
Rot Pruning Is Time Consuming Which You Can Use On Other Gardening Works Conclusion Pruning Tomato Pruning Tomatoes Plants Problems Tomato Seedlings
Tomato Plant Details Tomato Pruning Cherry Tomato Plant Tomato Plants
Topping Tomato Plants How Why And When You Should Do This Youtube In 2021 Plants Tomato Plants Garden Recipes