But are you taking off branches or simply leaves at the growing in batches of three at the end of the branches? I have a few strange tomatoes this year, the plants are almost curled up on themselves. I bought two or three varieties, and on all of them any of those groups of three seem to have minute flowers forming. Are you saying these flowers won't be viable or won't respond to pollination? Or should I go further down the branch and trim out some of the beefier branches? Or is this something you do when the plant is still very small and near the ground?

Sorry to be so dense, but I can't really see where it is you take out this middle plant digit, so to speak.

The first eggplant flower has appeared and is in full bloom. The tomatoes are covered with blooms. The oregano is blooming big time. The beans are blooming and the vitex in my front yard is spectacular in the sweet smell and blue color. When the plumber was here and had to feel for the hot water at the overflow valve, I told him to be careful, and as he started into the garden, "you're standing on an onion." "Oh!" was the answer, and tells me this guy doesn't garden or he'd have easily recognized the magnificence of these plantings. He managed to check out the spout without knocking down my Texas star hibiscus along the wall. I think. Sometimes they're pretty fussy and will fall down a while later if they decide they've been insulted in some way. Then the continue to grow, from that prostrate position, sending all new branches up from the recumbent stem. They can take up a lot of space if they do that. They're considered native, people are pretty sure about it, and they're different enough from the ones they sell that I think this is true. A few of these dinner plate-sized flowers really brighten up the yard! I one time counted 19 open simultaneously on one plant. I had to move that plant and it didn't survive, it was my best bloomer, but these others have gotten more established now, so I hope for a good year. Each flower is only open for 1 day.

SRS