How Fruitfulness Grows Through Rest, Pruning, and Focus

Blog by Gem Fadling

If you stay open and aware, you can receive profound insights from almost any source. I was reminded of this recently when I stumbled upon a short video explaining how to care for tomato plants. I am not quite sure what the algorithm thinks about me, but I will gladly take gardening tips any day.

As I watched, I was struck by how closely the wisdom of caring for tomatoes echoed Jesus’ words about the vine and the branches in John 15. The focus in both is fruitfulness, not appearances. If you want to see the video, you can watch it here.

I pulled out three of the teachings and want to share them, along with a few reflections on what they might offer our souls and our lives.

Lay it Down

“When your tomato seedling reaches about 30 centimeters tall, gently lay it down horizontally. This might seem strange but it stops the plant from focusing too much on leafy growth and redirects its energy into producing more fruit.”

In John 15, Jesus speaks of producing “much fruit that lasts.” That is the kind of fruit I want to offer with my life. When the tomato plant is laid down, its focus shifts away from excessive leafy growth and toward what truly matters, fruit.

I often want to be a bigger, more impressive plant. I want to look productive and important. But laying the plant down actually redirects the plant’s energy away from appearances and toward fruitfulness. Perhaps laying down is a metaphor for rest. It is good to lay down once in a while, to allow energy to gather so we can engage more faithfully in the fruitful work we are being invited into.

Snip it Off

“Once your tomato plant starts blooming, snip off those lower side branches. This reduces nutrient consumption allowing the plant to focus on developing the tomatoes themselves.”

Removing perfectly good branches helps the plant focus on fruit rather than excess leaves. This mirrors Jesus’ teaching on pruning. Quality fruit does not come when energy is scattered in too many directions.

In the same way, we are invited to reflect and discern what is taking up space in our lives but not producing the fruit we hope for. Pruning is not about loss for its own sake. It is about choosing where our energy is best invested. When we discern wisely, we can stop dispersing ourselves without thought and instead live with greater intention.

Thin it Out

“During the fruit setting phase, thin out the fruits to allow only 4–5 fruits per cluster. Removing some of the smaller tomatoes ensures that the remaining ones grow bigger and better because the plant can concentrate its energy on developing fewer, higher quality fruits.”

This one hurts. Fruit is finally visible, and now we are invited to remove some of it. This feels deeply counterintuitive because we are often biased toward more rather than better.

Yet the quality of a few fruits is far richer than twice the quantity produced without focus. This is true for grapevines, tomato plants, and orchard trees. It is also true for us. God has created our bodies and lives to function within seasons. There is a time to plant, a time to harvest, a time to rest, and a time to prune. Letting go may be the very thing that protects the health and integrity of what remains.

Nature has much to teach us. These days, I find plants, trees, flowers, birds, and even tomato vines to be some of my greatest teachers. When I stay open and attentive, creation continually invites me back into wisdom and restraint. How about you?

Reflection 

• How might you engage rhythms of rest so your energy has time to build toward healthy levels?
• What might you remove so that what remains can become even more healthy and fruitful?
• What other insights or invitations arise for you from the wisdom of the tomato vine?