Why not post this on the Tomatoes forum here? It is often discussed there in great detail. Just type 'pruning' in that forums search bar.

Im starting to doubt this method.

Then you are beginning to learn what many gardeners already know and what many studies already show - that pruning such as you describe accomplishes nothing but cost you production and sun scald the fruit you do get.

Dave

The deer have pruned my tomatoes, twice. I would rather them be unpruned ;). HA

In any case I would not prune cherry and grape tomatoes unless they are planted close together....I wouldn't plant these close together so they can branch freely and live up to their potential.

I usually just pull off suckers, and stake the tomato plants up and tie the large branches all up to the stake, being careful to not doing it too tightly. Do you give the tom plants any plant food or fertilizer? You probably need to when the blossoms start turning into fruit. Not that I'm a tomato growing expert by any means! lol!

Studies have shown that suckering and pruning tomato plants is fruitless. LOLOL. Bad, bad pun. But true.

I usually just pull off suckers

No such thing as "suckers". That is an old wives tale. They are lateral branches and produce fruit. Removing suckers IS pruning and just costs you fruit.

In any case I would not prune cherry and grape tomatoes

Agree. You also never prune determinate varieties.

Dave

It can be argued that by pruning and eliminating most of the tomatoes one could grow potentially a few large ones. However I am convinced that for volume of production the case is solidly proven by not pruning. The world record for total weight of fruit produced was on non pruned plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Non pruned tomatoes.

Also I would add that commercial greenhouses prune for ease of harvest, good air flow and space-saving (training the single stalks vertically). However, the situation in a garden is very different and does not warrant pruning.

I average 41.5 lbs per plant (un pruned)

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Even though Jon Hughes is in the same "Western Oregon", he is in the "Banana Belt" down there in Medford. Much higher temperatures.

I offer this for consideration...

Here we are still having cool temps. Highs in the 60's- 70's and some overnight lows in the 40's. I still have cloches over most of my tomatoes. In a climate such as this, might it not be beneficial to "prune" indeterminate types because we do not have a long summer. There seems to be no advantage to having more blossoms that never set fruit.

Any opinions on this?

lonmower - Like you I'm in a cool summer climate. We're in a clearing in the woods in western WA, so a bit cooler yet. Once the sun lowers in mid August we get even more dappled shade for part of the day from the tall trees.

I have pruned before thinking it was the right thing to do. It wasn't worth the time or lower harvest plus when there is a hot spell you get sunscald like was said. I have pretty good air circulation, so that's not been a problem even with an intensively planted row.

You could try pruning one plant & see what you notice. I either pruned or not, so can't really compare one plant to another.

I just prefer to let the tomatoes grow like crazy in June hopefully blossoming & setting fruit into July. My goal is 5 trusses of fruit per plant. If I pruned them I would be removing chances of fruit. In a long season climate you could prune and still get a good harvest. I know my 5 trusses is meager, but a reasonable goal for my short season. I plant more plants to try to make up the difference and count every vine ripened tomato a blessing.

I encourage the tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering in August & only water if plants wilt. I have lots of organic matter in my soil + mulch + soakers to water.

Around Labor Day if not right before I cut any blossoms & small fruits.

Once temps are below 50 degrees again I bring in all fruits to ripen inside because when it's cold like that they lose flavor and just rot. Below 50 degrees the garden becomes a refrigerator, which is good for fall & winter harvesting of cool weather vegetables, but not warm weather ones.

Others in my area can keep them producing until frost especially with some protection after that 1st early light frost in October.

Agree with Corrine. If you have a short growing season then you can 1) start them way early outside under cover as you have if you pre-warm the soil first but then don't prune them even after the cover is removed to get max. fruit set and then 2) approx. 6 weeks before your frost date just lop off the top the plants.

You'll still get some late fruit set and greenies but hey, they have uses too and can be ripened inside in several ways. :)

So the only "benefit" to pruning your plants, even with a short season, is loss of production.

Dave