Nope, not in the way most people think. Suckers are simply extra stems that form in the joint between a leaf and a main stem. If your plant is healthy and well-fed, it can absolutely support them. But left unchecked, they can grow into a wild, tangled tomato jungle.

If you want cleaner growth, bigger fruit, or better airflow, prunning some suckers can help.

If you love chaos, abundance, and experimentation, let them grow! I embrace a little bit of both.

Last year during the drought, I had more than a few customers contact me with problems about their setting flowers. Dad knew what was going on, but I didn’t. He called it blossom drop. Heat, and too much of it, will have a detrimental effect on the blossoms. The male reproductive organs of tomato plants will dry out under high temperatures. The pollen is rendered sterile; say goodbye to fruit set.

However, you will get another attempt with the next set of suckers coming through, hence a great reason to leave them alone.

Research has shown that when temperatures rise above 32°C for several consecutive days, the male reproductive organs’ appearance changes, and they produce less and less fertile pollen, leading to lower yields. The male organs shrivel up. And literally drop off. The flowers drop off. Hence the name: blossom drop.

Indeterminate tomato plants can get out of hand quickly with their suckers producing more suckers and so on. If you're in an area that has limited growing room, then pruning suckers can be of benefit making it easier to stake and manage growth.

Yes, removal of the sucker and having less of a giant mass of mess will improve air circulation and lower the risk of disease, particularly in areas that are hot and humid, making conditions perfect for foliar diseases to thrive. Added bonus is that predatory insects can move more freely.

Determinate varieties of tomatoes only have a limited amount of flowers to offer. Their genetics are preset in each variety, having a determined height and width, and finally setting their flowers at only the ends of the branches.

Perfect for the tidy gardener, someone who has limited growing room. Remember that any removal of suckers is going to reduce your yield.

Most tomato plants form flowers at the very top late in the season, often too late to ripen fruit. Topping helps redirect energy, reduces top-heaviness and keeps your plant within your stake or cage's height. Use sharp secateurs and make a clean cut just above a leaf node, ideally above a flower cluster you want to keep. Once topped, expect an explosion of lateral growth; be prepared to manage it.

Snipping 6-inch suckers from your earliest plants is a brilliant and free way to extend your tomato season. This method works especially well if you're lucky enough to live somewhere with a long growing window. Just pop the suckers in water and place them on a shaded windowsill until roots appear. Then plant them out and give yourself a pat on the back. This technique, called “staggering,” can send your yields through the roof. I usually plant mine in a different spot from my first crop. That way, if disease hits, I’ve still got a backup and a second round of tomatoes to look forward to. Yes, you can have more than one garden!

Suckers can also act like little umbrellas for your tomatoes. While they don’t need heaps of sun to ripen, too much can cause sunscald, especially on exposed fruit. That’s why some older varieties, like Cherokee Purple, were naturally protected with broader leaf cover. If you've ever seen tomatoes with brown “shoulders,” it’s often from too much sun. Sadly, many supermarket varieties today are bred for travel, not taste. Give the old freaks a chance, they might surprise you.