Falling under the indeterminate type, Husky Cherry Red Tomato continues its growth throughout the season, resulting in a wild appearance that demands pruning.
Continue with the article to understand the methods of pruning the Husky Cherry Red without hurting the mother shoot.
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Should You Prune Husky Cherry Red Tomatoes?
Given the year-long growth of Husky Cherry Red Tomato that turns invasive to attain a height of more than 1.2 meters, pruning is a must.
You need to trim off the extending vines once every 10 to 14 days in summer, initiated by pinching off the flower buds to improve the fruit quality.
Sometimes you might even need to trim the plant from head to bottom to boost the yield. But remember not to do it excessively (>1/3 of total height).
On the other hand, you need to pick ripe Tomatoes as soon as they reach maturity to provide energy for the young ones.
How To Prune Husky Cherry Red Tomato?
As a dwarf indeterminate, Husky Cherry Red Tomatoes are perfect for growing in indoor pots and containers until they overgrow the space.
You might need to pinch off the young basal leaves and stems, but that might not work for stout stems. So, follow the instructions to prune them efficiently with sharp tools.
- Sterilize the pruning shears or garden scissors with rubbing alcohol.
- Select the branching stems and leaves that are touching the ground or are affected and old enough.
- Take the sharp tool and snip off the axis point between the leaf petiole and the main stem.
- You might also need to trim off the new suckers grown at the top while they are about 4 inches long.
However, restrain from pruning the leaves that protect the fruits from the direct sun or the suckers formed below the new fruit clusters to allow a second stem growth.
How To Care For Husky Cherry Red Tomato After Pruning?
Pruning the Husky Cherry Tomato does not require any fixed schedule, as you can do it if the plant gets lanky than usual as a care method.
But you do need to maintain the optimum growing condition to prevent stressing the plant and ceasing its growth.
- Provide the Tomato with direct sun and if placed indoors, install a grow light and keep it under the source for at least 10-12 hours.
- Although Husky Tomatoes can withstand 40-50ºF temperatures, growing them at 80-85ºF is better.
- Maintain the humidity at 80-90% during the day and 65-75% at night.
- Water the plant thoroughly once every 2-3 days if growing in the garden and once a week for potted Tomatoes.
- Plant the Tomatoes in organic, well-draining, acidic soil (5.5-7 pH).
- Choose at least 1 feet deep terracotta container or a hanging basket if growing the Tomatoes indoors.
- Fertilize the Husky Tomato with 5-10-5 granulated fertilizer every 1 to 1.5 months.
- Most Husky Tomato are annuals, but the indoor ones can thrive for two years, so try repotting them once six weeks before the last frost date.
- After pruning, the plant becomes vulgar to diseases like verticillium wilt which you can control by spraying copper fungicide.
From Editorial Team
Extra Tips!
You can enjoy the last fall harvest of the Husky Cherry Red Tomato by pruning the tip of each main stem a month before the last frost date, as indeterminate can bloom till fall.
Also, trim any new flower buds simultaneously to allow the formed Tomatoes to ripe entirely without focusing on the new flush.
