HelpfulGardener.com

First of hi, I'm a new gardener and just got it all ready this year. I bought 3 tomato varieties to plant this year, Better Boy, Better Bush and Mr. Stripey (wish I would have read more on this one before I picked it, seems it can give some low yeilds). My question is I transplanted these plants 6 days ago during a break in a rain shower we got over the weekend. These plants took off, going from about 2 in. tall to 5 or 6 in that time. I came home today and went to weed a little only to discover 2 flowers on the better bush! Is it normal for them to flower so early? Can I expect tomatoes out of these if they get pollinated? Will the upper 30's temp coming tomorrow kill any chance of that?( I'm going to cover them) Thanks!!! And for your information I have planted or am planning to plant about 40 onion transplants, 30 bush beans(planted in sets a month apart), 3 boston picklers, and 3 (after thinning) sugar babies.

My take on your situation is this. Now this is my opinion as there are many mind you.

I think plants that small should have all flowers/buds removed. At this stage of the game you want your plants to establish a healthy root system that will take them through the coming month's. When a plant is in a flowering stage it is using it's energy to produce flowers and not roots. This is a critical time in their life, they need to make roots much more than they need to make flowers and fruit that the plant may not be able to accommodate due to ti's small size.

It sounds to me that you have some decent soil and weather due to their onslaught of growth. But with the low temps coming you were talking about is even more reason to protect them and keep them roots growing. Without a good root system no plant will do any good.

My 2 cents.

Dono

Thanks!

gixx, I was kind of debating that last night, I know those roots havent set that well in a week I just couldnt believe it was that happy of a plant so soon after transplant. I'm going to do a little more thinking on it today and take a look at them tonight when I cover them.

Another question, are the Mr. Stripeys relly that low of a producer? Everything I seem to read says people get nice big healthy plants and 7 or 8 maters. If this is what I can expect I'm more than likely going to plant a few more plants of a different variety since I have a little more room (after realizing that 10 cucumber plant might make pickles for, oh, the next decade).