Wait until plants are established and growing vigorously
Prune suckers (the small shoots that grow between the main stem and leaf branches)
Remove suckers when they are small (about 1–3 inches / 2–8 cm)
Use clean, sharp pruners or pinch suckers off with your fingers
Choose a training style:
Single-stem: remove all suckers; leave only the main stem and remove lower leaves below the first fruit cluster as needed
Two-stem: remove all suckers except one that grows from below the first fruit cluster
Keep the strongest stems and remove competing suckers that would create extra crowding
Remove lower yellowing, diseased, or damaged leaves
Remove leaves that touch the soil
Thin foliage around fruit clusters for better airflow and light penetration
Avoid removing more than about 20–30% of the plant’s leaves at one time
Stop major pruning once the plant is heavily fruiting if it starts showing stress
Keep pruning consistently every few days to a week during active growth
Water at the base of the plant to reduce disease pressure after pruning
Sanitize tools between plants if disease is present
For indeterminate tomatoes (keep growing all season): continue pruning suckers regularly
For determinate tomatoes (more compact and stops growing): prune minimally; remove only suckers that cause overcrowding and remove damaged leaves