Pruning and staking tomatoes
Support and light pruning keep tomatoes off the ground, improve airflow, and make picking easier. What you do depends on whether your variety is a cordon (indeterminate) or bush (determinate) type.
Know your type
Indeterminate (cordon) varieties keep growing and fruiting all season and benefit from a single strong stake and lateral pinching. Determinate (bush) types set most fruit at once and need only a cage or light support.
Pinching laterals
On cordon types, pinch out the shoots that form in the "armpit" between the main stem and a leaf. This channels energy into fruit rather than excess foliage. Leave bush types alone.
Staking methods
Drive a sturdy 1.8 m stake in at planting so you do not damage roots later, and tie loosely with soft ties as the plant grows. Tomato cages or a string trellis also work well.