Jim Carter wrote:
On 17 Jun 2003 02:07:42 GMT, (TheresaKyn) wrote in
rec.gardens.edible:
I'm new to planting tomatoes. Someone recommended pinching off the first
yellow flowers when they appear to create more fruit. Has anyone done this
before and is this true to cucumbers as well?
The only time you pinch off flowers is if you just bought plants from a store
and they have grown flowers in the pot. In other words, leave the flowers
alone--the plants know what they are doing.
Similarly, I've gotten the recommendation to pinch off early flowers
on an undersized pepper plant. However this was becuase the pepper
plant had been hurt(sunburned) and didn't grow enough of a leaf canopy
and started sending out flowers in late May/early June. I pinched off
the early round and it has since sprouted many new leaves and is
becoming fuller and developing a thicker stem. But this was in
response to a plant that was scrawny and thin-leafed and not ready to
produce. I had two healthy pepper plants which I had no need to do
anything with yet.
I guess this person was looking for the plant to grow larger before
setting fruit. Whether that is good is arguable for your growing
condition. A 20ft vine may not be better than a 6ft if it doesn't
ripen everything.
I've seen tips that when you are coming to the end of your season
(approaching frost) you pinch out any new flowers to get the vine to
focus on growing/ripening the remaining green ones.
DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)