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Should I remove the flowers from a tomato seedling?

This is my first time attempting to grow something, so I'm completely clueless.

I bought a small tomato plant yesterday. It's maybe 9 inches tall, and has a few flowers. I read somewhere that you should pinch off the first flowers and buds... Should I do this? And if so, how?

Thanks!

6 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    6 years ago

    What do you plan to do with said tomato plant? Plant it in the ground? Pot it? What kind of tomato plant is it? There are hundreds of varieties, perhaps thousands.

    If it is to go in the ground, I'd pinch off the flowers - like Frankly says. Let it concentrate on developing leaves for now. When you either transfer it to a bigger container (the bigger the better) or plant it in the ground, then let the flowers develop. These will become tomatoes.

  • James
    Lv 6
    6 years ago

    yes pull the flowers off.. its simple reach behind the actual flower and pinch and kinda pull they pop off. you do this because to the plant those flowers represent breeding which to tomato growers is tomatos BUT you dont want that now let the plant get a good root structure THEN allow it to grow tomatoes. you will get a better yield if you do this. If the tomato plant thinks oh I have flowers all my energy will go towards making fruit then it wont think to grow a root structure which in the long run is actually what grows more fruit or tomatoes. not sure where you live but most places its a gamble to plant now. I live in Utah where it is hovering around 70 for a bit everyone is planting but in northernish utah our hard freeze date is late april. I would LOVE to get out in my 1500 sf garden right now but just but im holding off a single hard freeze will kill every thing I planted so im waiting a few weeks atleast this story to you is really pull the flowers and prepare to cover them if it does freeze..

  • 6 years ago

    Yes, cut the first blossoms off. Let the plant get established in its new quarters before allowing the stress of fruit production.

    Good luck

  • Lana
    Lv 5
    6 years ago

    Since it is just a very young plant I would just leave the

    flowers alone and let them develop into fruit. That's just

    my opinion.

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  • Carl
    Lv 6
    6 years ago

    I wouldn't bother. Next time look for plants that aren't so big and old.

  • 6 years ago

    with your finger tips. The blooms are soft and will twist off. then,when it flowers next,leave one flower on. pitch off other blooms. you will get bigger fruit this way.

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