Fruit too soon?

wxcrawler · April 25, 2014

I've got a few different tomatoes in my raised beds that are 16"- 20" tall now. I planted them in my beds a week ago. I previously had them in 6" pots in my greenhouse and am feeding them a manure tea from a mix of composted sheep, llama, and rabbit manure. I've been very busy the past week, so I didn't look very closely at my plants, other than making sure they weren't dry. I noticed this morning that my Super Sweet 100, Lucky Tiger, Sun Sugar, and Heirloom Beefsteak all have small fruit on them now. I got all of these on 3/15/14 as 6" seedlings. I knew they had some blooms, but figured those would be aborted. Live and learn, I guess.

I'm not too worried about the 3 cherry tomatoes, but should I be worried about the Beefsteak already having 3 fruit on it at 16" tall? Should I trim them off now?

Did I screw up the future growth of this tomato?

Thanks.

bower · April 25, 2014

I'm interested to hear what the most experienced growers all over have to say about this topic.

We have such a short season here, early fruit are much appreciated and since tomatoes don't drop them (as peppers may do from transplant stress) I don't think anything is compromised by keeping your first fruit. Your plants are now in the bed and have room to spread their roots and grow and set more fruit as well as the early ones, weather permitting. I have never transplanted a plant with fruit already on it, but those that were flowering at transplant time produced fruit normally throughout the season as well as the early ones.

In a farm situation where maximum production is imperative, I think it is considered best practice that the plant has not flowered before it is planted out, so it can develop a large root system before it has to nourish the fruit.

But is production compromised by a few early fruit, on the production scale expected by home gardeners? Honestly, farm plants don't get the attention that a home garden does. It's about averages in a machine-managed situation. I will be very interested to hear what other growers do report about this question.

dpurdy · April 25, 2014

wxcrawler,
I usually pinch off any blossoms that appear while still in the nursery. Only because I don't want the plant to devote any resources to the fruiting cycle. Once they are planted in the ground they can flower all they want. I think you'll be fine. You've had them in your raised beds for a week. Let us know how make out.
dpurdy

rags57078 · April 25, 2014

myself I would let them be and enjoy the early fruit

Delerium · April 25, 2014

To me the indication is if the plant overall looks healthy. If the plant has thick stems then yes i will let it fruit. But if the plants look leggy or weak (stems smaller than say a pencil) then pinch off all flowers bend the weak stem towards the ground and trench it (bury as much stem). Roots will grow along the stem and it will add some muscle to your plants

. I am no pro or expert but that's what i do.

April 25, 2014	#1
wxcrawler Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 115	Fruit too soon? I've got a few different tomatoes in my raised beds that are 16"- 20" tall now. I planted them in my beds a week ago. I previously had them in 6" pots in my greenhouse and am feeding them a manure tea from a mix of composted sheep, llama, and rabbit manure. I've been very busy the past week, so I didn't look very closely at my plants, other than making sure they weren't dry. I noticed this morning that my Super Sweet 100, Lucky Tiger, Sun Sugar, and Heirloom Beefsteak all have small fruit on them now. I got all of these on 3/15/14 as 6" seedlings. I knew they had some blooms, but figured those would be aborted. Live and learn, I guess. I'm not too worried about the 3 cherry tomatoes, but should I be worried about the Beefsteak already having 3 fruit on it at 16" tall? Should I trim them off now? Did I screw up the future growth of this tomato? Thanks.

April 25, 2014	#2
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	I'm interested to hear what the most experienced growers all over have to say about this topic. We have such a short season here, early fruit are much appreciated and since tomatoes don't drop them (as peppers may do from transplant stress) I don't think anything is compromised by keeping your first fruit. Your plants are now in the bed and have room to spread their roots and grow and set more fruit as well as the early ones, weather permitting. I have never transplanted a plant with fruit already on it, but those that were flowering at transplant time produced fruit normally throughout the season as well as the early ones. In a farm situation where maximum production is imperative, I think it is considered best practice that the plant has not flowered before it is planted out, so it can develop a large root system before it has to nourish the fruit. But is production compromised by a few early fruit, on the production scale expected by home gardeners? Honestly, farm plants don't get the attention that a home garden does. It's about averages in a machine-managed situation. I will be very interested to hear what other growers do report about this question.

April 25, 2014	#3
dpurdy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Norwich, New York Posts: 255	wxcrawler, I usually pinch off any blossoms that appear while still in the nursery. Only because I don't want the plant to devote any resources to the fruiting cycle. Once they are planted in the ground they can flower all they want. I think you'll be fine. You've had them in your raised beds for a week. Let us know how make out. dpurdy

April 25, 2014	#4
rags57078 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: South Dakota Posts: 278	myself I would let them be and enjoy the early fruit

April 25, 2014	#5
Delerium Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: California Posts: 942	To me the indication is if the plant overall looks healthy. If the plant has thick stems then yes i will let it fruit. But if the plants look leggy or weak (stems smaller than say a pencil) then pinch off all flowers bend the weak stem towards the ground and trench it (bury as much stem). Roots will grow along the stem and it will add some muscle to your plants . I am no pro or expert but that's what i do.