So, we’re not talking about determinate tomatoes here - they are already more contained and well-behaved! (But speaking of determinate tomatoes, even though they are shorter with more easily managed growth, proper spacing at 1 bush tomato in a 2’x2’ square is recommended.) The only pruning that needs to be done for determinate varieties of tomatoes is to remove the leaf branches below the first fruit cluster after it appears. Okay, before we talk about the “how,” we need to quickly go over the “what” and the “why.” Determinate tomato plants produce their crop in a shorter period of time and are typically “bush” types that grow to about 3’ tall. So, let’s learn some basics about pruning tomatoes to keep all the neighbors happy and healthy. And with Square Foot Gardening, if a plant misbehaves and takes over its space, chances are pretty good that it will take over its neighbor’s space, as well. We’re all used to pruning plants like trees, shrubs, and flowering perennials, but tomatoes? If you’ve ever grown tomatoes in your vegetable garden, you know how easily they can take over their space with their jumbly growth.
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