We’ve kept the pruning of tomato plants to a minimum this summer due to the unseasonably cool temperatures and heavy rains.

During The Organic Gardener’s visit last week, Jeanne Nolan and Dani Hollis, The Organic Gardener maintenance crew member, cleaned up our four tomato plants.

“Disease really spreads easily,” Nolan said of tomato plants. “This is what happens with tomatoes. The lower leaves start to brown and die, and it spreads up. We’ll do a little cleanup on these because the tomato plants aren't looking so good.”

Before putting their pruners to work, Nolan and Hollis cleaned their tools with alcohol wipes.

“Diseases spread easily through tomato plants, so I like to keep my pruners clean,” Nolan said, adding gardeners at home can use rubbing alcohol to clean their pruners. “Before I switch to another plant, I’ll swab my [pruners] again.”

Both Nolan and Hollis pruned the plants from the bottom up, removing brown and yellowing leaves.