Should I prune the suckers off my tomato plants?

It depends on the type. For indeterminate (vining) tomatoes, removing suckers, the shoots that grow in the crotch between the main stem and a branch, is worthwhile: it channels energy into fewer, larger fruit, improves airflow, and keeps the plant manageable on a stake. For determinate (bush) tomatoes, do not prune suckers, because these plants set all their fruit at once on a fixed frame and removing growth just reduces your harvest. Know which type you have first. When in doubt, remove only the lowest suckers and leaves to keep foliage off the soil.

Why are the bottoms of my tomatoes turning black?

That is blossom end rot, a sunken dark patch on the base of the fruit caused by calcium failing to reach the developing tomato. Despite appearances, it is usually not a lack of calcium in the soil but inconsistent watering that blocks the plant from taking calcium up, so the fix is consistent moisture rather than more fertilizer. Mulch, water deeply and regularly, and avoid the wet-dry swings that trigger it. It often hits the first fruits of the season and eases as watering steadies. Remove affected fruit so the plant redirects energy.

How much sun do tomatoes need?

Tomatoes need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun a day, and 8 or more gives noticeably better results with sweeter, more abundant fruit. They are full-sun plants, and too little light produces leggy plants, few flowers, and poor yields. In extremely hot southern climates, some light afternoon shade during the worst heat can actually help fruit set, since tomatoes drop flowers when daytime temperatures stay above about 90 degrees F. But in most of the country, the more direct sun a tomato gets, the better it performs.

When and how should I stake or cage tomatoes?

Support tomatoes early, ideally at planting time, so you do not damage roots later, and so the plant is held upright from the start. Indeterminate varieties grow tall and heavy and need a strong stake, a tall cage, or a string trellis; flimsy store cages collapse under a full vine. Determinate bush types are shorter and a standard cage usually suffices. Tie stems loosely to the support with soft ties as the plant grows, checking every week or two during peak growth. Keeping fruit and foliage off the ground prevents rot and disease.

Why are my tomato plants flowering but not setting fruit?

The most common cause is temperature. Tomatoes fail to set fruit when nights stay above about 75 degrees F or days climb above 90 degrees F, because the pollen becomes unviable, so a heat wave often causes a wave of flower drop that resolves when conditions cool. Other causes include too much nitrogen fertilizer, which drives leaves over flowers, poor pollination in still air or a screened space, and drought stress. Gently shaking flowering plants or tapping the supports helps pollination, and easing off nitrogen shifts the plant toward fruiting.

How to Care for Tomatoes: Watering, Feeding, Pruning and More

Written & researched by Elena Marsh Gardening & Landscaping Editor

Updated February 2026

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The short answer: caring for tomatoes comes down to six habits — full sun (6 to 8 hours), deep and consistent watering, staking or caging from the start, mulching, stage-appropriate feeding, and pruning suckers on indeterminate types. Do those consistently and you head off the common problems (blossom end rot, cracking, disease) before they start. The through-line of all tomato care is consistency: steady water, steady food, steady support. The wild swings — feast-or-famine watering, a growth spurt of nitrogen, a plant left to sprawl — are what cause most trouble.

Tomatoes are not difficult, but they are demanding, and a plant that gets attention weekly outperforms one left to fend for itself by a wide margin. This is the season-long routine. We do not test the products we rank; our picks come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, explained in how we rank.

Know your type: determinate vs indeterminate

Almost every care decision hinges on which kind of tomato you have, so establish this first.

Trait	Determinate (bush)	Indeterminate (vining)
Growth	Stops at a set height (3 to 4 ft)	Keeps growing until frost (6 ft or more)
Harvest	One concentrated crop	Steady fruit all season
Pruning suckers	No — reduces the crop	Yes — improves size and airflow
Support	Standard cage	Tall stake, string, or heavy cage
Best for	Canning, small spaces, containers	Fresh eating over a long season

The seed packet or plant tag will say which it is. Paste and canning types are often determinate; most beefsteaks and cherries are indeterminate.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person harvesting ripe tomatoes into a basket in a backyard vegetable garden, in soft early-morning light

Sun and site for tomatoes

Tomatoes are full-sun plants. Give them a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun and, ideally, 8 or more — more light means more and sweeter fruit. A poor, shady spot produces leggy plants and disappointing yields no matter how well you feed and water. In the hottest southern climates, light afternoon shade during extreme heat can actually improve fruit set, because tomatoes stop setting when it gets too hot, but everywhere else, maximize sun. Space plants 18 to 36 in apart depending on type so air moves freely between them, which is your first line of defense against disease.

Watering tomatoes

Consistent, deep watering is the foundation of tomato care and the fix for the most common disorders. Aim for about 1 to 1.5 in of water per week (more in heat), delivered in deep soaks two or three times a week rather than daily sprinkles, so roots grow deep and drought-tough. Water at the base, in the morning, keeping foliage dry to reduce fungal disease. The wet-dry swings that come from erratic watering are what cause blossom end rot and cracked fruit, so steadiness matters more than volume. Container tomatoes dry out much faster and often need daily water. For the full breakdown, see how often to water tomatoes.

Golden-hour view of a person harvesting ripe tomatoes into a basket in a backyard vegetable garden

Feeding tomatoes through the season

Tomatoes are heavy feeders whose nutritional needs shift as they grow. Early on, moderate nitrogen builds the plant; once flowering starts, switch to a lower-nitrogen, higher phosphorus and potassium formula to drive fruit rather than foliage. Feeding high nitrogen all season is the classic mistake that grows a lush, fruitless jungle. Work compost and a balanced fertilizer into the soil at planting, then side-dress or liquid-feed a fruiting formula every three to four weeks once flowers appear. The complete feeding plan, including NPK stages, is in best fertilizer for tomatoes.

Staking, caging and mulching

Support tomatoes from planting time, before the roots spread, so you can install stakes or cages without damage and the plant grows up rather than sprawling. Indeterminate types need serious support — a tall sturdy stake, a string trellis, or a heavy-gauge cage; the flimsy conical store cages buckle under a mature vine. Tie stems loosely with soft ties as they grow, checking every week or two.

Mulch is the quiet workhorse of tomato care. A 2 to 3 in layer of straw or shredded leaves over the root zone conserves moisture, evens out soil temperature, suppresses weeds, and — importantly — blocks soil-borne fungal spores from splashing up onto the lowest leaves, one of the main ways disease starts. Keep mulch pulled an inch back from the stem. See best mulch for a vegetable garden for materials.

Wide environmental view of a person harvesting ripe tomatoes into a basket in a backyard vegetable garden, in soft early-morning light

Pruning suckers

On indeterminate tomatoes, pruning suckers — the shoots that sprout in the joint between the main stem and a branch — pays off. Removing them channels energy into fewer, larger fruit, improves airflow, and keeps the plant trainable on a stake. Pinch small suckers out with your fingers when they are a few inches long; larger ones can be snapped off cleanly. Also strip the lowest leaves so none touch the soil. Do not prune determinate types — they fruit on a fixed frame and removing growth cuts your harvest. Never remove more than about a third of the foliage at once, and prune on a dry day to let wounds heal.

Pollination and fruit set

Tomatoes are self-pollinating, but they rely on wind or insect vibration to shake pollen loose. In still air, a screened porch, or a greenhouse, fruit set can suffer, so gently shaking the flowering stems or tapping the stake every couple of days helps. The bigger fruit-set problem is temperature: pollen goes sterile when nights stay above about 75°F or days exceed 90°F, causing flower drop during heat waves. This resolves on its own when temperatures moderate. Excess nitrogen and drought stress also reduce fruit set, so keep feeding balanced and water steady.

Preventing common problems

Problem	Cause	Prevention
Blossom end rot	Uneven watering blocking calcium	Consistent moisture; mulch
Cracked fruit	Heavy water after drought	Steady watering; mulch
Leaf curl	Heat, uneven water, or variety trait	Even water; usually not serious
Early blight (brown leaf spots)	Fungus splashing from soil	Mulch; water at base; space plants; strip low leaves
Flower drop	Extreme heat or excess nitrogen	Wait out heat; balanced feeding
Yellow lower leaves	Often overwatering or age	Check soil moisture; remove old leaves

For the two problems that worry growers most, dig into what causes blossom end rot on tomatoes and why are my tomato leaves curling. Everything else is at the seeds and vegetable growing hub.

How to Care for Tomatoes