Why Some Gardeners Will Pick Blooms off Tomato Plants

Tomatoes are one of the most popular garden vegetables around the world, and for good reason. They can be eaten fresh, cooked into sauces, canned, frozen, and dried. However, some gardeners may pick off the blooms from their tomato plants. Here's why:

Preventing Diseases

One of the reasons gardeners pick off blooms is to prevent common diseases that can affect their tomato plants. One of the most common diseases that affect tomato plants is called blossom end rot. Blossom end rot occurs when the plant doesn't have enough calcium, which is essential for strong cell walls. By picking off blooms, gardeners can ensure that the plant focuses its energy on the existing fruit and developing strong roots, rather than wasting energy on fruit that may end up rotting.

Encouraging Larger Fruit

If you want to grow larger tomatoes, you might consider picking off some of the blooms. When a tomato plant has too many blooms, it can't provide enough nutrients to support all the fruit. As a result, the fruit may end up smaller than usual. By removing some of the blooms, gardeners can ensure that the plant can fully support the remaining fruit, resulting in healthier, larger tomatoes.

Extending the Growing Season

If you live in an area with a short growing season or cooler temperatures, you might consider picking off some of the blooms to extend the time your tomato plants can produce fruit. Tomatoes need warm temperatures to produce fruit, and by removing blooms early in the season, you can encourage the plant to continue producing fruit longer into the fall.

Controlling the Harvest

Finally, picking off blooms can help gardeners control when their tomatoes are ready to be harvested. By removing blooms, gardeners can control when fruit sets, which can help stagger the harvest. This can be beneficial for those looking to preserve or consume their tomatoes over a longer period.

Conclusion

Picking off blooms from tomato plants might seem counterintuitive at first, but it can actually be beneficial for the health of the plant and the quality of the fruit. Whether you're looking to prevent diseases, encourage larger fruit, extend the growing season, or control the harvest, picking off blooms is a simple technique that can help you achieve your gardening goals.