Most tomatoes, whether bush or vining, benefit from staking to keep the main stem upright. With any luck, they’ll be covered with heavy fruit and you’ll be glad you took precautions to do so, avoiding broken stems and broken hearts.

Is it necessary to stake tomato plants?

Staking and Training Tomatoes. The main reason for staking and supporting tomato plants is to keep plants and fruit off the ground. This reduces losses from fruit rots when fruit touch the soil and from sunburn when fruit are not shaded by foliage.

What happens if I don't stake my tomatoes?

Without some attachment to a stake, fence or cage, most tomato plants will flop onto the ground where slugs and other pests may chew on the leaves and later feast on the fruit. Getting those plants up off the ground also allows air to circulate through the foliage of the plant, helping to prevent disease.