Pinching out
Heather Bells
Posts: 43
Please can someone help me. This is probably in the place on the forum So please excuse.
is there a general rule about pinching out when growing plants from seed.
Now some things are obvious like veg but what about flowers???
is there a list anywhere, In a book I can refer to? Or on the web?
heres some examples.
peas ( for eating )
sweet peas
stocks
broad bean
godetia
nasturtium
I love gardening and learn something new every day. usually by getting things wrong.
I'd even work free for the advice if there was a chance of working in a garden.
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Hi Heather, last year I was asking a similar question and I learnt that Cosmos like to be pinched out. But there does not seem to be a hard and fast list.
The general rule is that if you pinch out the growing point right at the top of the plant, the side branches will grow more. SO if you want your plant to grow bushy, and produce lots of flowers/fruit rather than one at the top you should pinch out the top bud, usually around early summer (I think).
Generally, and as I understand it, the answers are...
peas - no (excepton, I think, to what i just said!)
sweet peas - yes, but i'm not sure when
broad beans - yes, just after the bottom group of flowers has set its fruits (and eat the bit you pinch out)
nasturtiums - no, they branch plenty already.
T'other two I don't know. But somebody will.
Hi Heather, there is a Sweet Pea thread with pics on of when to pinch them out. I have a similar question but only regarding tomatoes so am going to have a browse.
Cant help with anything else as I'm still learning too
Oh cheers folks. Yes, okay with sweet peas, great thread and just read the posts about broad beans.
Anyone want an (old) apprentice gardener in Fife I'll do it. Can pay me in cups of coffee and digestive biscuits.
Never too old to learn. I hope.
thanks again.
I have always pinched out the growing tips of peas at about 4 leaves - I come from a farming family and my father explained that farmers roll their field peas at about that size, it does the equivalent of pinching out the tips and encourages side shoots - so that's what I do, and I've always had good crops.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
With a determinate tomato plant, you just leave it to grow.
With indeterminate, you leave the top to grow a tall plant, but pick out the little side shoots that appear just by the leave joint,
Your packet of seeds should say which they are or you could check on the net.
Hi Lyn, thanks and I think I get what you mean as I have been researching tomato plants/seeds and need to buy some more seeds. Indeterminate are the type for the GH that grow tall (eg Moneymaker) and determinate are the ones for hanging baskets and pots (eg Tumbling Tom - which is a variety I am getting). Is that right? So I don't pinch out the ones that I have now then as they are indeterminate?
Determinate varieties of tomatoes, also called "bush" tomatoes, are varieties that are bred to grow to a compact height.
Indeterminate (sometimes called cordon) varieties reach heights of up to 10 feet although 6 feet is considered the norm.
That's exactly what I was trying to say David, but you put it so much better
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