Some gardeners call suckers the leaf growth that sprouts in the axil or joint between the main stem of a tomato plant and a leaf. Pinching out these small secondary branches allows more light and air circulation get to the plant and may encourage larger tomatoes. Recent studies show that removing the suckers does not really improve the harvest, as you are also removing foliage that is needed by the plant to make food. So it is still a debate about if removing the suckers is worth the work and worry. Enjoy your tomatoes. Homegrown varieties taste the best no matter what you do about the suckers. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti