This Is News to Me! Rethinking Tomato Suckers for Healthier Plants and Bigger Harvests

Tomato gardening is a beloved pastime for many, offering the joy of nurturing plants and the reward of fresh, homegrown produce. One common (and long-standing) practice in tomato care is the removal of tomato suckers—those small shoots that appear in the axils between the stem and leaf branches.

While widely accepted, this practice is now being reexamined. Could letting those suckers grow actually lead to healthier plants and higher yields?

Let’s dive into the science and real-world results behind this surprising shift in tomato gardening strategy.

1. What Are Tomato Suckers?

Tomato suckers are small shoots that emerge at the junction of a leaf and the main stem. Left to grow, they can become full branches—developing leaves, flowers, and fruit.

Suckers are especially prominent on indeterminate tomato varieties, which grow continuously and produce fruit throughout the season.

While some view suckers as energy-draining nuisances, they’re actually a natural and vital part of the plant’s growth cycle.

 2. Why Gardeners Traditionally Remove Suckers

The traditional belief is that removing suckers allows the plant to:

• Focus energy on fewer, larger fruits

• Improve air circulation

• Reduce disease risk

• Make the plant easier to manage

This pruning method favors controlled growth and neatness—but may not always be the best approach for plant health or productivity.

 3. Why You Might Want to Rethink Pruning

Recent insights suggest that pruning suckers might do more harm than good:

• It reduces the plant’s photosynthetic surface, possibly lowering vigor

• Pruning creates open wounds, increasing susceptibility to pests and disease

• Removing potential flowering branches can actually limit overall yield

In essence, the plant is doing what it’s biologically designed to do—and we might be interfering too much.

 4. The Benefits of Letting Suckers Grow

Letting suckers grow can offer several advantages:

• Increased fruit yield from additional flowering branches

• More foliage to protect fruit from sunscald

• Enhanced moisture retention in the soil beneath the canopy

• Greater resilience in harsh conditions like heat, wind, or drought

Especially in home gardens, where maximizing fruit output is often the goal, leaving suckers may be a smart strategy.

 5. Encouraging Natural Growth = Healthier Plants

By embracing a more natural approach and letting suckers develop:

• Plants become bushier and stronger

• They handle weather fluctuations more effectively

• They support a more diverse ecosystem, inviting beneficial insects

• The method aligns with organic and regenerative gardening principles

Less intervention often means less stress on the plant and more sustainable growth.

 6. Want More Tomatoes? Let Suckers Work for You

Studies and anecdotal evidence suggest unpruned tomato plants often yield more fruit overall, even if individual tomatoes are slightly smaller.

For home growers, this can be a worthy trade-off: more tomatoes, fewer pruning chores, and healthier plants.

 7. Creative Gardening Hacks Using Suckers

Smart gardeners have found ways to benefit from suckers without losing control of the plant:

• Layering: Bend a sucker to the soil and cover it to encourage rooting—creating a new plant!

• Staking and tying: Support growing suckers with trellises or garden twine to maintain order.

These techniques let you harness the growth of suckers productively.

 8. How to Manage Suckers Wisely

You don’t have to go all-or-nothing. Try selective sucker management:

• Remove only those that overcrowd the plant or grow in awkward directions

• Keep suckers that are well-positioned and healthy

• Train suckers with light tying to encourage vertical growth and avoid sprawl

This way, you balance structure with natural growth for optimal plant health.

 9. Debunking Sucker Myths

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