Question
Hi Mike,

I'm trying to figure out how to prune my tomato plant.  I have read numerous sites stating "cut off the suckers".  What exactly are the suckers?  It would be helpful if I can have some kind of picture.

My other question is one of my plants have some kind of bumps on the stem.  Is that some kind of fungus?  and how can I treat it?

Thanks for your time.

Answer
The suckers are the growth that occurs between the main stem and the leaf axil of the flower stem.  Eventually, if allowed to grow, they branch out into their own plant.  By leaving these on, the plant expends much of its energy into the new growth rather than producing tomatoes.  You end up with more tomatoes over the long run, but sacrifice size and space.

The reason I prune the suckers is that I prefer the larger tomatoes and more compact growth.  Not only do you have a neater appearance to the plant, but you also have much better air circulation which means the plant is less prone to fungus diseases.  To prune, simply snap them off when they are about 2" in length.

Unfortunately, I can't attach an image file on this forum; only text.  If you would like an illustration, send me a note with your e-mail address and I would be happy to send one.

The bumps are either a fungus or a result of an insect infestation, most likely white flies.  I would start by spraying the plants with a copper fungicide.  If this does not correct the problems within 10 days, spray the plants with an organic insecticide such as insecticidal soap or pyrethrum.  These are non-toxic and can be applied up to the day of harvest with no ill-effects to humans.

I hope this answered your question.  If you require more information, please feel free to write again.

Regards,

Mike