pinching blooms my situation

[Heidelberg]

I currently have a Paul Robeson, Anna Russian, and a Black Cherry each in a 17 gallon container on my balcony. I live in Phoenix. Last year I grew on the balcony with an overhang and after some difficulties got some sizable plants by letting them to hang over into more exposed sunlight. I was able to keep them alive through the winter by VERY carefully gathering them up and moving them inside the couple times we had frost.

They are currently slightly over one foot tall and still a bit leggy because they haven't grown into more direct sunlight yet. The Anna Russian has already started flowering. I am concerned because the plant is currently getting only 5 1/2 hours a day. Should I pinch these blooms off so the plant can get a better position before it becomes weakened by fruit at such a small size? I realize that people have asked this question before but I feel that my situation is unique.

[saltmarsh]

My garden spot is shaded on both sides by trees and only gets 5 hours of direct sun during the middle of the day. I've grown several different indeterminates without problem. When do your plants get sun, morning, midday, or afternoon? My Uncle in Mesa, Az grew tomatoes in a grow box and had a problem similar to yours. His solution was to move the plants to a friend's apartment with more sun. Are you friendly? Claud

[Heidelberg]

Yeah I think I am friendly. I guess I never thought of that as an option but its something to consider. I get sun from 9:30 to 3:00 right now. Once they grow about 8 inches taller they will get sun from sunrise (7:12) to 3:00. After they grow out over the rail that will change to sunrise to sunset. I guess I am just afraid that this early bloom may slow down its progress getting to that point. Perhaps I am over thinking this. Someone here said they tried rooting a cutting with buds on it and it would not do so until they pinched off the blooms. Thats the part that has me worried.

[dice]

Someone here said they tried rooting a cutting with buds on it and it would not do so until they pinched off the blooms.

That was me, and that was a fact. I had side-by-side cuttings in water,
under flourescent lights by a window, and the ones without flowers had
roots 6 inches or so long while those with flowers barely had a couple
of little roots a millimeter or two long after a few weeks. I snipped off
the flower clusters, and those immediately started growing roots at
the same rate as those without flowers to begin with.

Growing in the ground and in containers, flowering alone does not slow
down vegetative growth much (I never noticed it, but my plants generally
all flower about the same time, even if fruit set varies widely by cultivar
at different temperatures), but fruit set noticeably slows vegetative
growth, seeming to bring it to a complete stop on some plants until
those fruit are picked.

If you pick off those flower clusters until the plants are larger, you will
not have any doubt about whether they are slowing vegetative growth.
At worst you put off first fruits by a few weeks a couple of months down
the road.

(You could move them back into a shadier spot for a couple of weeks.
They will likely stretch out, reaching for the sun. When they get up to
the height that you want, slide them back to where you have them now.)

[Heidelberg]

OK good advice. Just in time too they are starting to unfurl and I will be able to snip them. However, the plant grew an inch and a half yesterday so I am starting to think that maybe this wont make such a difference after all. If they continue to grow at this rate they will be pretty large by the time those flowers even begin to set fruit. Its going to get a bit colder in a couple days (more seasonal). But as long as they have grown another few inches by then I think I might be OK. That was a very telling and simple experiment though and I am glad I have the knowledge of this forum to draw on. Its been helpful more than once. Thanks again.