young, store bought plants that already have fruit

[frangypangy]

I have 3 tomato plants-one that I grew from seed, and 2 that were young plants that I bought at Target. I'm a little curious, b/c my plant that I grew from seed is about 2 feet tall and is only starting to bloom, whereas the 2 plants I bought at Target were only about 8- 10 inches tall (maybe a foot but thats being generous) and already had a tomato on both of them at the time I purchased them(about the size of a golf ball). They are two different types - the one I grew is a big boy hybrid, and the store bought are husky red (I believe?). So basically my question is it normal for a plant that small to have fruit on it already? I also purchased a bell pepper and jalapeno pepper plant from Target with the same scenario- both small plants that are already producing fruit.
Any info you might have is appreciated!

[!potatoes!]

if they were pushed (I.e. fed a lot of fertilizer), it's not so abnormal to have fruit on such small plants.

[frangypangy]

That's kind of what I figured the reason was. Thanks for confirming!

Would doing something like that ultimately be detrimental to the final product (ex: the quality of the fruit, or just the general health of the plant)? should that kind of plant be something I should avoid in the future?

thanks again!

[annafaie]

I had the same experience with 1 of my Home Depot bought tomato plants and after reading up a bit I decided to pluck the early fruit off. This is supposed to help the plant concentrate on getting bigger instead of growing fruit when it is too small. After I plucked fruit the plant grew bigger.

[Haesuse]

1 of my 3 tomato plants was the same. all of them are from home depot. I left the 2 early fruit, but they developed very oddly, and I eventually picked them off short of ripening. they were cracked up a whole lot.

I'm new to tomatoes, but I know one thing... regardless of fertilization, if you put ANY plant with distinct vegetative and flowering stages, and you give them artificial light for an amount of time per day that makes them believe they SHOULD be flowering, then they will.

if this is the case, then you would expect the plant to go back to a strong vegetative state shortly after being put into natural lighting (ie, the sun). mine did just this. even though I left the fruit on (probably a mistake. the energy would have gone elsewhere, had I picked them), the plant has grown to become quite a specimen. already 4 feet tall, and it's June 11...


I'd say cut the whole truss off of the plant as soon as you repot it.

[frangypangy]

thanks for all the info!

I think I will pick the big tomato off, but there are a few buds on it as well that have tomatoes starting... is it ok to keep those on there, or should those go as well?

Thanks again!

[Haesuse]

I just recently got some pepper plants that had blossoms already, and fruit. I chopped them all off, about a day or 2 after repotting and letting them get used to the new pots. they are now doing fantastic.

[myron26155]

I have 3 tomato plants-one that I grew from seed, and 2 that were young plants that I bought at Target. I'm a little curious, b/c my plant that I grew from seed is about 2 feet tall and is only starting to bloom, whereas the 2 plants I bought at Target were only about 8- 10 inches tall (maybe a foot but thats being generous) and already had a tomato on both of them at the time I purchased them(about the size of a golf ball). They are two different types - the one I grew is a big boy hybrid, and the store bought are husky red (I believe?). So basically my question is it normal for a plant that small to have fruit on it already? I also purchased a bell pepper and jalapeno pepper plant from Target with the same scenario- both small plants that are already producing fruit.
Any info you might have is appreciated!

Hi frangypangy,

Keep in mind you are comparing a "Big Boy" which is a much larger tomato,(sometimes a pound or more), with a husky red which is a smaller 5-7 ounce tomato. The husky red I believe is a dwarf plant where as the big boy can get quite tall.