Pruning your tomatoes

From one author to another (all experienced and having the arguments to justify their theory), points of view can differ on how to approach the famous pruning of tomatoes. In any case, to this question "What to do?", the answer is very simple: Whatever you want! But, an essential little addition: knowing why. Thus, pruning tomatoes by de-suckering is not necessary. It is intended to increase the size of the fruits and their precocity. Which is not a small advantage! On the other hand, this method has two major drawbacks: it requires time and discernment. Some varieties are particularly difficult to prune: the "head" is not always easy to distinguish from a secondary branch. I am thinking in particular of varieties like Noire de Crimée, or Banana Legs. In addition, removing the suckers causes wounds. It is essential to consider helping healing with a dusting of maërl, or a light coating of green clay, for example. However, after pruning, the plant has been stressed, and has less leaf surface to ensure normal nutrition and respiration. Another option is therefore not to prune at all and allow the plant to fully develop. It will therefore need much more space. Allow at least one meter between and within the row. The fruits will ripen later and will be smaller. This is the first "disadvantage" of this technique. The second, just as relative, is the difficulty of staking. Tomatoes trained freely in this way can be very exuberant, and a simple stake planted at the base will not be enough. Strangely, it is often forgotten, even though it was the most common method among professionals and amateurs: training on two branches. After "pinching" the plant 20cm from the ground, only the two strands that form laterally are kept. Then, all the suckers are removed. This interesting solution is probably the one that requires the most discernment, but it quickly becomes a habit. Being the perfect compromise between the two previous approaches, it combines the advantages and disadvantages of each.