When a plant is covered in foliage, unfortunately, it sheds water away from the roots when it rains or you water.īut by opening up the bottom area, you instantly improve that access. Pruning off the bottom area of foliage allows water to more easily reach the crucial root zone areas of plants. The benefits of base pruning don’t stop there.

More Reasons To Prune – How To Prune Tomato And Pepper Plants Even more, good air flow helps to keep disease, mold and mildew from taking hold by keeping excess moisture from building up. It also improves the process of photosynthesis, helping to convert more of the sun’s valuable energy to power the plant’s growth.Īs for improved air circulation, it not only helps with improved pollination, but provides much-needed oxygen to the plants as well. And both light and air are extremely important to the health and growth of vegetable plants.īetter lighting results in the faster ripening of fruit. Pruning not only keeps plants healthier, it also can improve your overall harvest.įor starters, dense, thick stems and foliage at the base of plants blocks light, air and water. And one of the best ways to ensure a good crop is by pruning. We use a lot of tomatoes and peppers to fill our canning cabinet for winter. Allowing stems and leaves to grow at or near the bottom of the plant is a recipe for disaster.

All while allowing them to use their limited resources on what matter most – producing fruit!įor both tomato and pepper plants, pruning should begin at the bottom of the plant. So just exactly what does it mean to prune your plants? And why does it help them so much? When you boil it all down, pruning allows plants to have more air, light, water and nutrients. Here is a look at why pruning is so important, and how to prune your peppers and tomatoes for success: Why Pruning Tomato & Pepper Plants Is Important As you will see below, it helps in so many incredible ways. Even better, it allows better access for watering, weeding, fertilizing and harvesting.Īnd that is exactly why pruning both our pepper and tomato plants is a must.

It also keeps pests from finding an easy path up onto the plants. Clearing out the lower branches on your tomatoes allows air and light to the plants.

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