Tomato blossoms

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

My tomatos are blossoming and they've only been in the pots a few weeks. I'm wondering if I should pinch 'em off.
The plants are still tiny only a foot or so high.

My Spruce trees are producing more cones than I have ever seen. Another odd note. It's like there's hundreds maybe thousands per bough.

[Dennis Peacock]

Cliff,

I'd definately pinch them off and allow the plants to get larger before they are allowed to produce fruit. The plants are a tad young yet.

[Rob Will]

Cliff,
When container grown plants start to become root bound, they go into reproductive mode. You might want to re-pot them and let them grow a bit. As Dennis suggested, pinch the blooms off for now.
Rob

[Glenn Clabo]

Cliff...
Pinching first blooms is one of those questions I've asked about...done...not done. The results are varied...and most will stand by what ever they decide to do as gospel. Here's my take and fwiw the local farmers/growers...don't pinch them off. You are just reducing your yield by those many fruit. The first fruit to form is always the largest and earliest. Now for 'suckering' tomatoes which what people mean when they remove the shoot that appears between the stem of the tomato and the leaf. Within this right angle of stem and leaf, a shoot will appear. Pinching off the one closest to the ground and the next one above it is often done to increase the size of the tomatoes. The removal of two suckers is generally enough. Leave the rest of them to provide additional fruit and much needed shade to the tomato fruits in late summer.
Of course...like most things...people will of course disagree with all the above.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

They are all in huge pots. I hung most of 'em potted in good soil with organics and fertilizer in upside down joint-compound buckets (painted green). a few more in on large-ish pots that'll hold 'em for their life.

So I got a "pinch 'em" and I got a "don't pinch 'em."

Hmmm decisions ~ ~ decision

[Belinda Barfield]

I'm throwing in with the "pinch 'em" team. Let the plant get a little stronger before it starts to bear.

[Joe Mioux]

Speaking as someone who germinates, transplants and sells them; it's probably better to pinch off the blooms if they are starting to bloom in the pots or in the first few weeks or transplanting into the garden.

This means that the plants were in the greenhouse and garden center pretty long. The size container will impact when some of these tomatoes will start to bloom.

Now, if you don't take off the bloom..... ????

The tomato will still grow and will still bear fruit all season, as long as the temps don't get too hot.

Sugar Snack ( small round tomatoes) will continue bearing fruit when the others quit.

My personal favorites are Big Beef, Sugar Snack, Jetstar, Better Boy, San Marzano (Roma style) and Lemon Boy.

joe

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I got on GardenWeb and found that there is a real diversity of opinion on this subject some of the with competition growers on both sides of the question.

The pinchers are saying: "Save the plant's energy an pinch, it's probably pot bound from the hot house and needs to develop a root base." ( paraphrased)

The non pinchers are saying: "Let it go they will develop and progress just fine I never pinch and don't see any problems with plant debvelopment."

Then there are the people think that hanging your plants upside down (as I have done) means that you don't have to remove the suckers, that the suckers are feeding the plant because they are green and producing chloraphil and eating sunlight. They say that Pinching the suckers is needed only if you are tying the plants up.

[Michael McCoy]

At least pinching suckers/blossoms stays considerably more civil than some of the table saw discussions. :) I'm among those that doesn't think it makes any difference. I started last season pinching every other one and found they all started producing at the same time. I didn't keep track of output for the rest of the season so I couldn't tell if it made any difference long term. It's so hot here that you just about have t start a second crop in July and August if you want any fall tomatoes.

[Mark Springer]

Its a matter of personal preference. Why don't you experiment. Pinch some but not others, That way you can do a side by side comparison and decide what works best for you.

[Belinda Barfield]

It's so hot here that you just about have t start a second crop in July and August if you want any fall tomatoes.

Yeah, but if you're lucky and we don't have an early cold "snap" you can have fresh tomatoes at Thanksgiving. :D

I wish my grandfather had believed that suckering makes no difference, then I wouldn't have spent as much time in the tobacco patch.

[Michael McCoy]

Yeah, but if you're lucky and we don't have an early cold "snap" you can have fresh tomatoes at Thanksgiving. :D


There is always fried green tomatoes and when that first frost comes, everything goes into paper bags and stored to slowly ripen. :)

[Randy Cohen]

don't pinch...not all blossoms will develop fruit and by time 2 months go by and you get a ripe tomato off the plant it will have grown substantially.

[Scott Loven]

It was 23F this morning, it will be another 2-3 weeks before I think about putting out tomato's!

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

It was 23F this morning, it will be another 2-3 weeks before I think about putting out tomato's!

I'm in Joieezee and indeed the night after I hung mine we had a frost warning. I tented and tarped 'em and put a low wattage lamp in the tarp.

[Joe Pelonio]

After probably 40 years I have given up on tomatoes. Last year we had the best crop ever, they were loaded with tomatoes, but then we had a cool wet August and I ended up with hundreds of green ones to hang upside down by the vines in the garage just before the first frost. We got maybe a dozen that ripened on the vine.

Our growing season is short anyway, then with all of the tall fir trees we have just one small spot with sun. Thankfully our city is going to have a farmers market May-Sept. starting this year so we'll be able to get decent ones regularly.

[Belinda Barfield]

Thankfully our city is going to have a farmers market May-Sept. starting this year so we'll be able to get decent ones regularly.

I'm sure everyone in the city is happy about that. I just don't how one survives without fresh 'maters. The home grown ones being the best! Hmmm . . . isn't there a song about home grown t'maters?

[Joe Pelonio]

I'm sure everyone in the city is happy about that. I just don't how one survives without fresh 'maters. The home grown ones being the best! Hmmm . . . isn't there a song about home grown t'maters?
I agree, though don't know the song. We have been using Saturday markets at other cities all along to supplement our own pitiful crops, there's one each direction about 6 miles away, but this one is right down the road so we look forward to it.

I am trying broccoli, eggplant, & spinach this year and hope they do better with less sun.

[Glenn Clabo]

Belinda,
We have the best of all worlds here. We live on an island that has become a model for organic gardening. All around us are farmers moving toward "home grown" products that are picked that morning and sold to us. I have so many types of heirloom tomatoes to pick from...cheap as can be...I don't bother.
Of course this micro-climate we live in also produces some pretty darn good wine and beer...it may just be causing us to have a distorted view of ALL things. ;)

[Belinda Barfield]

Belinda,
We have the best of all worlds here. We live on an island that has become a model for organic gardening. All around us are farmers moving toward "home grown" products that are picked that morning and sold to us. I have so many types of heirloom tomatoes to pick from...cheap as can be...I don't bother.
Of course this micro-climate we live in also produces some pretty darn good wine and beer...it may just be causing us to have a distorted view of ALL things. ;)

Heirlooms are the best. :)

For the enjoyment of all the tomatoe lovers who are trying to help Cliff grow the best crop ever, (and any musicians who might stop by) I submit the following.

ARTIST: Guy Clark
TITLE: Homegrown Tomatoes
Lyrics and Chords


There's nothin' in the world that I like better than
Bacon, lettuce and home grown tomatoes
Up in the morning and out in the garden
Pick you a ripe one, don't get a hard 'un
Plant 'em in the springtime eat 'em in the summer
All winter without 'em's a culinary bummer
I forget all about the sweatin' and the diggin'
Every time I go out and pick me a big'un

/ C - / F - / G7 - / C - / :

{Refrain}
Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What'd life be without home grown tomatoes
There's only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes

You can go out and eat 'em, that's for sure
But there's nothin' a home grown tomato won't cure
You can put 'em in a salad, put 'em in a stew
You can make your own, very own tomato juice
You can eat 'em with eggs, you can eat 'em with gravy
You can eat 'em with beans, pinto or navy
Put em on the side, put em on the middle
Home grown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle

{Refrain}

If I could change this life I lead
You could call me Johnny Tomato Seed
I know what this country needs
It's home grown tomatoes in every yard you see
When I die don't bury me
In a box in a cold dark cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
Where I could be pushin' up home grown tomatoes

[Joe Pelonio]

Good song, and he's right. So are you, the heirlooms are best. For the last 8-10 years our favorite has been "black prince" which don't get too big so in most years would ripen, really great taste and mahogany color.

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/vegetables/black_prince.jpg

[Dennis Peacock]

Oh look....it's a pinch / no pinch tomato fight. :p :rolleyes:

Seriously though....I never knew so much "science" was behind simply growing "maiters". :D Maybe I'm too simple minded, but I think things are more simple than they are complex when it comes to growing. Just experiment and have fun with it. :)

[Dennis Peacock]

Hey Joe.....

Would they do well in Arky-land? If so, how does one get some seeds to try them out?? Inquiring minds wanna know. :D

[Glenn Clabo]

Right here...
http://store.tomatofest.com/Black_Prince_p/tf-0065.htm

[Michael McCoy]

Dennis

I had good luck with several of the black varieties when I lived out your way (St. Francis) but the only one I can remember the name of is Black Krim. Darned it's a bummer getting old but that's the only black heirloom I still grow so it's easier to remember. :)

[Belinda Barfield]

Hey Joe.....

Would they do well in Arky-land? If so, how does one get some seeds to try them out?? Inquiring minds wanna know. :D

Park Seed www.parkseed.com (http://www.parkseed.com) and Burpee www.burpeeseed.com (http://www.burpeeseed.com) both sell heirlooms. Black Krim is available from Burpee.

Georgia has a publication called the "Market Bulletin" and I believe Arky-land does as well. There are usually heirloom seed and plants advertised for sale in it. Another alternative is to ask around your area. Most folks who grow heirlooms are willing to share.

[Joe Pelonio]

Hey Joe.....

Would they do well in Arky-land? If so, how does one get some seeds to try them out?? Inquiring minds wanna know. :D
They would grow anywhere that tomatoes grow, originally they are from Russia.

Look for them at a nursery that advertises heirloom tomatoes to get plants. I have never seen them at the borg home centers.