06/04/2026
It feels incredibly wrong, but it is one of the best things you can do for your garden! 🌱✂️
When young tomato, tomatillo, and pepper plants are still small, they will often try to flower and set fruit early. It’s so tempting to leave them, but don’t! If your plant focuses all its energy on growing fruit too soon, it stops putting energy into its root system and structural growth.
How to do it:
🌿 Pinch off any flowers, buds, or tiny fruits that appear while the plants are still in their early growth stages (especially right after transplanting).
🌿 For peppers and tomatillos, let the plant grow to about 18 to 24 inches tall before you let it keep its flowers.
🌿 For tomatoes, it’s best to pinch off the very first cluster or two until the plant is well-established in its final spot.
