You're going to get different answers everywhere you go. The difference in your answers are coming from different environments. Most people with green or hoop houses will probably say prune while most growing in the open say not to but that's not always the case and then you have the crack pots and I wont mention any names. Start by doing a search and WELCOME!

Thanks for the info...much appreciated!!

It really depends on your support system. You pretty much have to prune suckers for staked plants to stay tidy, but you can let caged or sprawled plants go unpruned. In my experience the main vine will give large trusses of fruit, at least initially, while the fruit clusters on the suckers show up later and are often smaller, so for commercial growing in greenhouses it is more economical/productive to keep several pruned single vine plants going in the space needed for one unpruned plant.

Determinant varieties stop growing when the fruit shows up so you never want to prune those varieties.

Search 'pruning' here for the FAQ and many, many previous discussions.

As already mentioned, it all depends on the support system you use. Other factors include the variety/type of plant (determinates are never pruned as spiced ham said), how big your garden is, how close you plant the plants, your climate, and 100 other things.

The only thing that is important to understand completely IMO is that pruning/removal of what are mistakenly called "suckers" is that it is in no way mandatory despite claims made. It is totally the individual gardener's option/choice.

Personally, I use 5 and 6 foot CRW cages and never even consider pruning off anything except for branches that touch the ground.

Dave

I use the Florida Weave method of support and I never prune. It's a matter of personal preference except as spiced_ham and Dave stated, you should not prune determinates. If you don't know if your tomatoes are determinate, you can find out at many seed company sites, or just not prune.

Betsy

Great! Thanks for all of the information. I think next year I'll use Dave's method and use the CRW cages. It seems like a low maintenance way to go. This place is great!

Brad