MIDDLETOWN - I know it may be late in the season to discuss tying and suckering tomato plants, but there is always next year. The main reason I’m bringing it up is because this is the time of year I have conversations like these: �"I have giant gorgeous tomato plants but few tomatoes, what am I doing wrong?” Or, �"I grow a couple of dozen plants to have enough tomatoes so I can have sauce.”

       I think, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of sauce.’ I grow half a dozen and I still can freeze a fair amount and have enough to eat them every day. I think these are the same people that can’t seem to get a lot of tomatoes on their plants.

       One of the things I learned working on the farm is a plant will put out a higher yield when they are suckered, and by that I mean removing the side shoots. Tomato plants are basically a vine and will put their energy to vining, not fruiting. My plants are big, but they aren’t all fluffy and green. Then I hear, â€�"But I don’t want to take off the shoots because it’s so beautiful!”

       Fruit or beauty? With my time and energy, I’m going fruit.

       Initially before removing the suckers, the plants need to be upright. Staking or caging the plants is a personal decision--I choose staking. I don’t think staking half dozen plants as a big chore. I cut my tomato teeth on my brother-in-law’s farm and he had 10,000 plants. I tied and suckered all those plants four times with little help, so a half dozen is a cakewalk. I also know many who have tried the cages and realize once the fruit gets heavy, the plant’s stems have a tendency to break.

       I usually wait until they get about 1-1/2 feet tall and then I will start to train them onto the stake. I use wire ties and I make sure I loop them around the plant under a large leaf. One reason I loop is to allow the main stem room to grow and not have the tie cut into the stem. Keeping it under the leaf helps to support the stem and stop it from sliding down the stake.

       I will keep two or three main stems, but the rest I get rid of. What do I consider a main stem? It’s the first stem of the plant and then a sucker or two near the bottom of the plant. The suckers are between the main stem and the leaf, as shown in the illustration. I will break them off right at the â€�"V.” No, I don’t use pruners, because they will snap off fairly easily. Be careful not to take off the flower buds or the top of the plant. Sometimes more vines will appear at the base and I get rid of them also.

       It can take a little time, but the rewards are immeasurable.