Propagation

"Suckering" is a term primarily used to describe the formation of basal shoots, typically in grasses. In the case of tomatoes, it is colloquially used to describe the branching of the plant through lateral shoots growing from buds in the leaf axils. The number of shoots left depends on the variety’s growth habit, spacing, and training method. For tall-growing varieties trained to a single main stem, side shoots are removed regularly, while self-terminating varieties require much more careful pruning.