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Pinch Tomato flowers?? 😰 🍅

christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
edited April 2021 in Fruit & veg
Hi all 👋 
First time growing tomatoes so I’m hoping for some advice. 

I’ve got an 8-ish week old San Marzano plum growing on the windowsill that has started to produce flowers. I’ve attached pics for reference - it’s currently about 20” in height but I just ‘earthed it up’ and planted about 3-4” of the stem In The hopes of growing an even stronger root system. 
The plant is destined for the balcony, but as night time temps are still low, I was only planning on transplanting it in about 4 weeks. 

So, my question is... do I pinch off the flowers or let it do it’s thing? 


For context, I’m in Central London and the plant stays in the warmest room of the house at night (around 20-21 degrees) and I fear I have mislead it into thinking it’s summer - should I maybe move it to a slightly cooler room at night? 

Thanks so much in advance 🌱💚

Posts

  • christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
     Unsure why the pictures are skewed horizontally, but here’s an upright image
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I'm new to growing tomatoes......I think you need to repot into a bigger pot first.  Don't take off the flowers, no flowers=no fruit 
  • christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
    Hi Mary, thank you for your reply! 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It will need a much wider pot and one deep enough to plant it up to its first leaf stems.

    It won't be able to go out safely till the last of the frosts are over and minimum night time temps warm up to about 10C.   It doesn't need to be at 20C at night either.

    It will need plenty of feeding and watering to produce good flowers and fruits and avoid problems like splitting skin, blossom end rot and mildew.  Have a read of this

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/tomatoes
    and
    https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-tomatoes/ 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
    Hi Obelixx, thank you for taking the time to respond. Do you think I should pinch the flowers, or keep them on the plant? 
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    If you decide to keep them, and you easily could, just remember to hand pollinate ( with a child's paint brush or similar) as no insects to help inside 😁
  • christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
    Thank you purple - appreciate it!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No flower pinching till your plants are big enough to have 5 good trusses of fruit on them.  Then you can cut the tops of the plants so they concentrate energy on ripening those tomatoes and don't waste energy on flowers and fruits that won't have time to grow properly.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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