Buds on Tiny Plants
So I recently noticed that all five of my plants (each less than two feet tall, three of which are less than a foot tall) have tiny little flower buds at their tops. It seems WAY to early for these plants to start producing already, as they are indeterminate. Three of the plants are cherry tomatoes, but the other two are Super Fantastic and Big Beef. What's going on here? They've gotten tons of sunlight and I didn't harden them for as long as I should have before putting them in direct light. They aren't doing poorly...in fact, they are doing quite well. Nice and green, a few sunscald marks from the lack of hardening, well watered, great potting soil (they're each in a five gallon pot with some crazy organic soil that has worm castings and kelp and such in it). Should I pinch the buds off and let them grow bigger before they start to produce? Should I just enjoy early tomatoes? I have no idea if I can even get decent-sized Big Beef tomatoes off of a 15 inch plant (I doubt it). Anybody got any clues?
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rainbowgardener
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Re the early buds - Are your plants in the ground already? If they haven't been transplanted into the ground yet, I would definitely pinch the buds off. I think the little plant trying to fruit and dealing with transplant stress would be hard on it. If they are already in the ground, it's a little more fifty-fifty. Those early buds will take a long time to flower and fruit. So the plant will be bigger by then. If you are one of us (read the race for June tomatoes thread! 
) that likes to have the earliest possible tomato, leave them. But people say that taking those early buds off will end up with more production later on, because really you do want the plant to be getting well established with good foundation now.
I had not heard of the MicroLife, but I looked it up and it sounds like good stuff, lots of trace minerals, humate, microrrhizae, etc. Expensive, but good reviews. But I doubt it should have induced early blooming. It's still heavier on the nitrogen end, which should stimulate plant growth, not fruiting. If you are going to be fertilizing for fruit production, you would really be looking for something like 5-10-5 or even 4-16-8, I.e heaviest in phophorus and lightest in nitrogen. But really the best fertilizer for your tomatoes is compost and good rich organic soil and they will take what they need.
) that likes to have the earliest possible tomato, leave them. But people say that taking those early buds off will end up with more production later on, because really you do want the plant to be getting well established with good foundation now.I had not heard of the MicroLife, but I looked it up and it sounds like good stuff, lots of trace minerals, humate, microrrhizae, etc. Expensive, but good reviews. But I doubt it should have induced early blooming. It's still heavier on the nitrogen end, which should stimulate plant growth, not fruiting. If you are going to be fertilizing for fruit production, you would really be looking for something like 5-10-5 or even 4-16-8, I.e heaviest in phophorus and lightest in nitrogen. But really the best fertilizer for your tomatoes is compost and good rich organic soil and they will take what they need.
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gixxerific
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Rainbow now you have me wondering, not that I already was, about my "racer". it has had little flowers on it for weeks. It is not in the ground and has been uplanted 3 times. It is VERY vigourous so I'm not sure if the transplanting will have much effect on it. All that being said it might be too far along to be transplanted and do well.
Zaxsta you might be better off to pick off at least some of them dependign on how far along your plant is. You want your plant to concentrate on roots now more than flowers. Mine howerver is just about root bound in a big pot. So it might not help that much, plus I have a bunch of backups.
Zaxsta you might be better off to pick off at least some of them dependign on how far along your plant is. You want your plant to concentrate on roots now more than flowers. Mine howerver is just about root bound in a big pot. So it might not help that much, plus I have a bunch of backups.
These guys are remaining in pots. Cranky landlord. I know I will need to up-pot them eventually, but 5 gal pots should be fine for now.
The idea with the 6-2-4 was to fertilize once when transplanting to promote root and foliage growth (thereby helping with transplant shock). Lightly, mind you, so as not to overload them on nitrogen (which would prevent the fruit from bearing). I'm just really surprised to see buds on plants so small. If I'm reading you right, I can probably leave the buds on the cherries but I should most likely pinch the buds off of the Big Beef and Super Fantastic. Is that correct? Thanks for the help Rainbow and Gixxer.
P.S. - This may seem like a stupid question, but is your name Gixxerific because you drive a GSX-R? My buddy in college had one of those...fun bikes.
The idea with the 6-2-4 was to fertilize once when transplanting to promote root and foliage growth (thereby helping with transplant shock). Lightly, mind you, so as not to overload them on nitrogen (which would prevent the fruit from bearing). I'm just really surprised to see buds on plants so small. If I'm reading you right, I can probably leave the buds on the cherries but I should most likely pinch the buds off of the Big Beef and Super Fantastic. Is that correct? Thanks for the help Rainbow and Gixxer.
P.S. - This may seem like a stupid question, but is your name Gixxerific because you drive a GSX-R? My buddy in college had one of those...fun bikes.
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gixxerific
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