should I pinch off the truss?

[KCMO_Don]

I have a 10" Big Beef in the ground and it is doing VERY well, and looks fantastic.
It has it's first set of blossoms showing, and should be opening any day now.
Do you think I should leave them alone or pinch them off.

Thanks
Don

PS. it will be adequatly protected if we get any really cold nights.

[carolyn137]

I take off all buds and blossoms before I plant inground so that all energy is directed initially towards root development and plant growth rather than energy being used for fruit development.

If it were me I'd take off blossoms and buds on a 10 inch plant, but the decision is really yours, and many folks do leave at least some of those early buds and blossoms on and the earth keeps spinning.

[KCMO_Don]

Thank you very much Carolyn
The urge to have the "first tomato" is strong.
But I don't want to trade one fruit for the vigor of the entire plant.

Thanks again!

[cdntomato]

One reason to consider saving at least part of the truss is to obtain pure seed. Some pepper growers actually seed and transplant up early for the express purpose of encouraging blossoms pre-insect arrival. Minimal fuss that way. The pros and cons of doing this need to be considered, of course. Plus it assumes that you want to save seeds in the first place.

Jennifer

[KCMO_Don]

Thanks Jen, but this is a Big Beef hybrid

[carolyn137]

Jennifer,

Despite the fact that it was Big Beef F1 being talked about I can't really agree with your comment about first fruits being more likely to be pure due to lack of insect activity.

Craig, for instance, saves seeds from first set fruits if he can while I, on the other hand never do b'c insect activity where I am is highest in late Spring early summer so I save from only late set fruits.

So each person really needs to know when insect activity is highest in their own area, and beyond that, since it's the small sweat bees ( halictid bees) that do most of the crossing and they aren't very visible, I wouldn't even rely on any time of the year as being better re saving seeds when blossoms aren't bagged.

[cdntomato]

Carolyn, I mean these people grow plants early enough that there is fruit forming before even before planting out. Tania had a few examples. Early or late insect activity in the garden would then be irrelevant. I realize that Don's is in the ground just at flowering stage, but I did want to indicate why some people do consider keeping those first trusses.

The Big Beef I grow is OP.

Jennifer

[Earl]

Don, someone hankering for the taste of a homegrown after months of doing without should leave them buds alone. :-) But it's probably "to late" to give that advice. LOL.

[nctomatoman]

Folks, another urban legend as far as I am concerned. last year I got my plants in late - many already had open flowers, a few had very small fruit. I left them all on - the first clusters set well, the plants took off, I had a great productive garden. I just plant them with whatever they have and let them be...and am delighted with the results.