Stopping Flowering to help plants grow more??

[zh97]

Okay, new gardener alert...

So, I started seeds in those little peat pocket things. They sat on my window sill for too long as we decided whether or not we were going to move. Amazingly, they seemed to do rather well there. Some of the beans even grew on them! There are flowers on the bean plants and on the cucumbers. I remember hearing that when it stars flowering, it stops growing. Is that true? So, if I want to transplant, and let the plants grow (having more root space) should I pinch off the flowers?

[MaryLang]

I think thats only if they've been pollinated, because then the focus is on growing the fruit. I wouldn't pluck'em, just hurry and get them in the ground.

[rubyeta]

I always pick flowers off transplants when i put them in the garden. The theory behind it is that if you don't let it flower, the plants energy will go to establishing a stronger root system, rather than growing a fruit. I think it really does help make stronger plants!