Transplant Tomatoes Question

whoose · April 18, 2020

Started tomatoes from seed and just now transplanting in my Greenhouse. Many have flowers already. Do I want to pinch them off? Or should I just leave them? I think I have seen a topic on this but can't find it.
Thanks
Whoose

slugworth · April 18, 2020

It depends on how big the plants are.
Last year I bought plants that already had blossoms.
I put them in containers outside may 8th.
June 15th I was eating my 1st tomato.
If the plants are too puny I would pluck the blossoms.

RJGlew · April 19, 2020

I've always found the flavour to be a bit lacking until the plants develop a decent root system.

QAGuy · April 19, 2020

Conventional wisdom says to pull off the blossoms so the plant can put more of it's energy into growing.

That said, I don't.

Labradors2 · April 20, 2020

I don't pull them either. I've waited so long that I'm not going to sacrifice ANY tomatoes!

Linda

PaulF · April 20, 2020

If the tomatoes have not been transplanted and show a blossom, I pick them off. My idea is for the new plant to develop a root system first then fruit. After transplanting into the garden if a stray flower shows up after a couple of weeks I let it go. Science be darned, I want a tomato as soon as possible.

whoose · April 20, 2020

Many of the flowers are on Sun Gold, which have been growing at an amazing rate as compared to "other" tomatoes. Does this affect you responses?

zipcode · April 21, 2020

For sungold it should be fine to leave them. For anything big, I remove them. The loss of total production is not worth a few days earlier tomatoes for me.

b54red · April 23, 2020

I have to agree with Zipcode.

Bill

taboule · April 28, 2020

For a few years now, the first tomato I got was from a plant that had a lower before it went in the ground. To me that first fruit is a major milestone, plenty of time later for the perfect taste.

TomatoDon · May 2, 2020

I agree with Labrodors2. I love seeing those first blossoms and never pull them off.

kath · May 2, 2020

If you have multiples of the same variety, you could always do your own experiment and pull the blossoms off of some and leave them on others, then draw your own conclusion...

April 18, 2020	#1
whoose Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bozeman, Montana Zone 6b Posts: 333	Transplant Tomatoes Question Started tomatoes from seed and just now transplanting in my Greenhouse. Many have flowers already. Do I want to pinch them off? Or should I just leave them? I think I have seen a topic on this but can't find it. Thanks Whoose

April 19, 2020	#4
QAGuy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Glendora, CA Posts: 167	Conventional wisdom says to pull off the blossoms so the plant can put more of it's energy into growing. That said, I don't. __________________ "We have met the enemy and he is us" - Pogo

April 20, 2020	#6
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,284	If the tomatoes have not been transplanted and show a blossom, I pick them off. My idea is for the new plant to develop a root system first then fruit. After transplanting into the garden if a stray flower shows up after a couple of weeks I let it go. Science be darned, I want a tomato as soon as possible. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 20, 2020	#7
whoose Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bozeman, Montana Zone 6b Posts: 333	Sun Gold Flowers Many of the flowers are on Sun Gold, which have been growing at an amazing rate as compared to "other" tomatoes. Does this affect you responses?

May 2, 2020	#11
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,521	I agree with Labrodors2. I love seeing those first blossoms and never pull them off. __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

April 18, 2020	#2
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,150	It depends on how big the plants are. Last year I bought plants that already had blossoms. I put them in containers outside may 8th. June 15th I was eating my 1st tomato. If the plants are too puny I would pluck the blossoms.

April 19, 2020	#3
RJGlew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 643	I've always found the flavour to be a bit lacking until the plants develop a decent root system.

April 20, 2020	#5
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,887	I don't pull them either. I've waited so long that I'm not going to sacrifice ANY tomatoes! Linda

April 21, 2020	#8
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	For sungold it should be fine to leave them. For anything big, I remove them. The loss of total production is not worth a few days earlier tomatoes for me.

April 23, 2020	#9
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have to agree with Zipcode. Bill

April 28, 2020	#10
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	For a few years now, the first tomato I got was from a plant that had a lower before it went in the ground. To me that first fruit is a major milestone, plenty of time later for the perfect taste.

May 2, 2020	#12
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	If you have multiples of the same variety, you could always do your own experiment and pull the blossoms off of some and leave them on others, then draw your own conclusion...