

If growth becomes leggy later in the season, topping can fix this problem and produce stronger growth towards the end of the season.

These stems are more resistant to wind damage and can hold the weight of heavier fruits. Topping tomatoes at the beginning of the season can facilitate branching and produce stronger central stems. While topping isn’t strictly necessary for your plant’s health and growth, it does come with a few benefits to consider when deciding what’s best for you. Is it essential to growth and health? Is it a largely unnecessary additional task? Or is it somewhere in between? Topping – trimming the central stems of the plant – is another one of those tasks many gardeners wonder about. There are many debates in the tomato gardening world, from pruning to fertilizing and more.
