Flower buds forming on tomato seedlings, advice needed!

SharonRossy · May 2, 2015

So I dropped seeds on April 1st and by April 8th everything germinated. I potted up around April 15th. They are under T5 lights 18 hours a day and I have a small fan running. Today I noticed that several of my plants have flower buds forming. I believe this is a reaction to some type of stress but I don't know. My plant out date is not before the 20th of May, if then. Many of my seedlings are 4" and quite stocky and all are very healthy. What should I do? I believe I should pinch them out. I've opened the windows to keep the room cooler. Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks, Sharon

luigiwu · May 2, 2015

Unless they are in their final 'homes' I would not let them flower...
I have this issue with my pepper plants and they are tiny. I wonder if this is because they are stressed from me letting them go 'dry' between waterings.

SharonRossy · May 3, 2015

I don't know. I thought letting them get a bit dry without them wilting was not a bad thing. Mine were not over watered by any means nor were they ever overly dry. I've been consistent with that. Possibly the room got too warm. I think I should pinch them off, also.

**carolyn137** · May 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigiwu

Unless they are in their final 'homes' I would not let them flower...
I have this issue with my pepper plants and they are tiny. I wonder if this is because they are stressed for me letting them go 'dry' between waterings.

I agree that I would not let them flower and I don't think it's a matter of stress of any kind that does it.

Different varieties will flower at different times, whether they are early, mid season or late season varieties. In addition when you allow them to flower and set fruits plant energy is directed toward those activities and NOT to continued growth of the plant itself as to stems, foliage, roots, etc.

There are some that say take most of the buds off and leave a few for earlier fruit set, but I'm not one of them.

And then over the years a few have said, when they have multiple plants of the same variety and they took buds/blossoms off some and not others of that same variety they saw no diffeence. All I can say is that has not been my own personal experience.

Carolyn

SharonRossy · May 3, 2015

Hi Carolyn, I was hoping you would reply. Hope you're feeling better. It's always great to get your opinion. I am going to remove them. In fact I started with a few. I'm wondering if the room got too warm. I feel it's way too early for this to be happening. So I'm glad to know I should remove them.
Thanks, Sharon

Gardeneer · May 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

Hi Carolyn, I was hoping you would reply. Hope you're feeling better. It's always great to get your opinion. I am going to remove them. In fact I started with a few. I'm wondering if the room got too warm. I feel it's way too early for this to be happening. So I'm glad to know I should remove them.
Thanks, Sharon

Your choice. But you have an oppotunity to perform an experiment: i.e, leave some on their own and remove flowers from the others and keep record of it.
It should an interesting experiment at a little or no cost.

Gardeneer.

**carolyn137** · May 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Your choice. But you have an oppotunity to perform an experiment: i.e, leave some on their own and remove flowers from the others and keep record of it.
It should an interesting experiment at a little or no cost.

Gardeneer.

Gardeneer, I already mentioned that in my post above.

(And then over the years a few have said, when they have multiple plants of the same variety and they took buds/blossoms off some and not others of that same variety they saw no difference. All I can say is that has not been my own personal experience.)

Carolyn

Salsacharley · May 3, 2015

Page 167 of Epic Tomatoes says NOT to pinch blossoms. I conclude from this that there is no hard and fast authoritative conclusion on the subject because there are reasonable theories on both sides.

Fred Hempel · May 3, 2015

I would cut the blossoms off carefully -- if they start to form fruits. They may fall off on their own.

**carolyn137** · May 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

Page 167 of Epic Tomatoes says NOT to pinch blossoms. I conclude from this that there is no hard and fast authoritative conclusion on the subject because there are reasonable theories on both sides.

It's not a matter of theories, it's a matter of where one gardens, as to gardending zone, how long the season is, if the person wants to be the first to get fruits in a season, and HOW the plants are being grown.

The original poster lives in Montreal, Canada, another one from NYS. Craig L, who wrote the book, whom I've known since 1989, lives in Raleigh, NC but also grew tomatoes when he was in PA. And more than once I shipped fruits to him in PA when his were too ripe to display at the event he always attended/

In Raleigh, where he's been for a long time he grows in containers b/c he has a city lot and not much room whereas I grew almost all of mine inground b/c after I moved back home from Denver to the family farm Ihad my own field that was 250 ft X 90 ft and a side garden as well, for smaller stuff, that was about 90 ft X about 25 Ft.

So it makes sense to me that someone would say take them off, depending on their own personal experience and all the variables that go with that that I just mentioned above.

And it also makes sense to me why someone would say the reverse.

All I'm really saying is that there is no consensus on saying take them off or let them be, b'c there never could be such consensus.

Carolyn

NarnianGarden · May 3, 2015

A Northern gardener here. Last year, I started too early, and my seedling were budding and blossoming way before I had the chance to pot them in their final containers. Did that stop them from growing and producing fruit? No - they went into it full strength once they got their 'final home'.
This year I haven't seen any flower buds yet, and hope to be able to keep them from forming until all are safely in their containers, but based on the experience I had last year, I won't panic even if a few would appear prematurely. The season here is so short anyway, I will keep all my flowers and use the toothbrush like crazy

KarenO · May 3, 2015

Hi Sharon,
I recall you regretted removing early blooms last year?
Kareno

bower · May 3, 2015

Sharon, 18 hours of light per day is too much. Tomatoes like to get 8 hours of darkness... they must think it's midsummer already and very far north, and they have to hurry up.

I don't know of any tomato that will form buds before they have at least seven leaves. Most that I have grown will set the first cluster after the seventh leaf, some will go 8 or 9 or more leaves but the majority are ready after leaf seven. Your plants had extra long days so they must have put on seven leaves already. If they're only four inches tall, they must be super bushy..

It's true that warm temperatures will also cause them to grow faster, and sooner past that seventh leaf, hence the first buds will start to form. But I would expect them to be taller as well if it was warmth that caused it.

SharonRossy · May 3, 2015

Hi Karen and Bower. Karen, you're right about last year. That's why I'm not removing all of them this year. Bower, I'm going to cut back on the light. I thought so too. Maybe next year I'll get it right, from starting the seeds to lighting!

SharonRossy · May 3, 2015

Bower I just adjusted my timer and cut back two hours. Hopefully that should help. They are bushy and definitely have several sets of leaves. I guess I got over excited with my new grow lights!

May 2, 2015	#1
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	Flower buds forming on tomato seedlings, advice needed! So I dropped seeds on April 1st and by April 8th everything germinated. I potted up around April 15th. They are under T5 lights 18 hours a day and I have a small fan running. Today I noticed that several of my plants have flower buds forming. I believe this is a reaction to some type of stress but I don't know. My plant out date is not before the 20th of May, if then. Many of my seedlings are 4" and quite stocky and all are very healthy. What should I do? I believe I should pinch them out. I've opened the windows to keep the room cooler. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks, Sharon

May 2, 2015	#2
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Unless they are in their final 'homes' I would not let them flower... I have this issue with my pepper plants and they are tiny. I wonder if this is because they are stressed from me letting them go 'dry' between waterings. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7! Last edited by luigiwu; May 3, 2015 at 12:06 AM.

May 3, 2015	#3
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	I don't know. I thought letting them get a bit dry without them wilting was not a bad thing. Mine were not over watered by any means nor were they ever overly dry. I've been consistent with that. Possibly the room got too warm. I think I should pinch them off, also.

May 3, 2015	#8
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	Page 167 of Epic Tomatoes says NOT to pinch blossoms. I conclude from this that there is no hard and fast authoritative conclusion on the subject because there are reasonable theories on both sides.

May 3, 2015	#9
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	I would cut the blossoms off carefully -- if they start to form fruits. They may fall off on their own.

May 3, 2015	#11
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	A Northern gardener here. Last year, I started too early, and my seedling were budding and blossoming way before I had the chance to pot them in their final containers. Did that stop them from growing and producing fruit? No - they went into it full strength once they got their 'final home'. This year I haven't seen any flower buds yet, and hope to be able to keep them from forming until all are safely in their containers, but based on the experience I had last year, I won't panic even if a few would appear prematurely. The season here is so short anyway, I will keep all my flowers and use the toothbrush like crazy

May 3, 2015	#12
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	Hi Sharon, I recall you regretted removing early blooms last year? Kareno

May 3, 2015	#13
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Sharon, 18 hours of light per day is too much. Tomatoes like to get 8 hours of darkness... they must think it's midsummer already and very far north, and they have to hurry up. I don't know of any tomato that will form buds before they have at least seven leaves. Most that I have grown will set the first cluster after the seventh leaf, some will go 8 or 9 or more leaves but the majority are ready after leaf seven. Your plants had extra long days so they must have put on seven leaves already. If they're only four inches tall, they must be super bushy.. It's true that warm temperatures will also cause them to grow faster, and sooner past that seventh leaf, hence the first buds will start to form. But I would expect them to be taller as well if it was warmth that caused it.