Here you go. The FAQs and over 100 discussions on the pros and cons and how-tos of pruning. Just on this forum. Add in all the discussions about it on Market Gardening, Vegetable Gardening and the regional forums and who knows how many 100's of discussions there are.

BIGGER PLANT MORE PRODUCTION ?
Te argument that bigger foliage results in more production (per sqr-ft) IMO,is not proven correct.

That is highly debatable IMO. And the issue of production is not per sq. foot - that isn't static. The issue is production per plant of the same variety grown under the same conditions except for pruning. The unpruned plant will always produce more than the pruned one will.

There is a minimum requirement for foliage to provide plant's need for photosynthesis to produce fruits.

And that requirement is what? To produce how many fruit? 10 leaves per 2 fruit? 5 leaves per 1 fruit?

Now some have claimed that leaving only the top tuft of leaves on the growing tip will result in an almost unlimited # or fruit. Others continue to argue that all the so-called suckers have to be removed since they "suck energy right out of the plant and never produce fruit" and we all know that isn't true. I guess lightening strikes if you don't do that.

But how does one determine when the maximum number of leaves needed has been reached? At what point do we begin removing the "excess" leaves?

And is photosynthesis the only purpose of the leaves? I don't think so.

Why should one be growing suckers/new growth when there is just 60 days or less left to the end of season ? It is totally wasteful and burden on the plant

The plant is going to die anyway so why worry about a burden on the plant? And why is the burden on the plant any different that it has been all summer long? Aren't those late fruit edible? Lots of green tomato canning recipes made every year, If not into canning they can still be ripened and many treasure their stored ripe tomatoes to eat right up till the New year.

Now if one chooses to prune because they don't have room or they don't have the ability to provide proper support for the plant, that is one thing but pruning just to be pruning something makes no sense to me.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning discussions

Lets see what some experts say about Pruning.
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eOrganic author: Bonnie Cox, Oregon Tilth

Pruning

There are few hard and fast rules in tomato pruning, and many varying opinions. Good pruning achieves the optimum balance between vegetative growth and fruit production. Pruning will impact fruit size, fruit quality and yield, so it is important to strike the right balance between reducing vigorous foliage and stripping the plant. Good pruning helps increase fruit size and enhance earliness. However, pruning too heavily can reduce yield and increase problems with sunburn, blossom end rot, and catfacing.

In determining how to prune your tomato crop, consider the growth habit (determinate or indeterminate) of your plants. Indeterminate tomatoes are more heavily pruned than determinate ones, but even determinate tomatoes often require some level of pruning. Next, consider any special features of your specific variety including any recommendations from your seed supplier. The amount of pruning needed can vary with variety.

Pruning is usually started as the plants are first being staked or supported, sometimes before stringing them to avoid interference with the lines. Tomato plants are pruned by selectively removing suckers, the shoot that grows between the main stem and a leaf. Suckers should be broken off while they are still small, between 2-4 inches in length. Prune plants only when the leaves are dry to reduce the spread of disease.

Plants in the trellis system are generally trained to two stems: the main stem and the stem that develops from the sucker just below the first flower cluster. Suckers below this one should be removed. The remaining two stems should be twined around the vertical string support as the plant grows. If very vigorous plants grow above the top of the stake system, they may need to be topped.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Tomato Plant

This year I included the dimensions of full grown tomato plants in my planning of what goes where, so I will not have to prune at all. Last year I pruned some branches because they were sticking into pathways and so on.

Your and anybody else's choice if fully respected.
We just want to hear differing views an reason for it. That is all.

Seysonn, Your first points make perfect sense and I'll agree that almost any commercial tunnel tomato grower will prune to optimize yield per square ft. covered space. I've been doing it for years and the yields per plant for me far outweigh the outside unpruned plants. I will clarify that I plant Indt. plants inside at least 2 months earlier than Det. plants, outside. Support for inside pruned plants is stringline, dangled from stuctural frame. For outside plants, also on plastic, I just place a cylindrical cage on each plant. The real yield difference is likely a combination of three times the harvest season, 6 months compared to 2. But I regularly will harvest more on an average harvest day inside (pruned) from 1/10 acre than outside (unpruned) 1/10 acre simply due to the fact that I have over 3 times as many plants inside as outside in that same acreage.

So thats my take on the topic. I know Dave and others on this site don't care to prune and I'll admit that it involves work. I like the tradeoff for work on "Off-days" that allow me to pick in half the time on my twice weekly harvests- Fruits are readily visible and none are burried under a tangled mass of plant vegetation. Then there is the fruit quality issue but my results are skewed due to weather protection provided by the tunnels.

take your pick. I will continue growing both ways as I have for the past 15 years. I'll just add that if I had a few more greenhouses I would abandon planting outside tomatoes completely.

Thanks bmoser

There seems to be two schools of gardening, in general:

One: Plant and let the mother nature and the plant's grow habit do as they wish.

Two: as a gardener/grower , get in there and interfere FOR YOUR ADVANTAGE.

I belong the the latter school.