To remove the flowers or not?

[teddybay-o]

I've heard mixed answers as to whether or not to remove flowers to direct energy towards veg growth. So what I'm going to do is list what I've planted and can someone tell me what you nip the flowers off and what you don't. Also I'm growing entirely indoors as I live in a flat with no balcony or outer windowsills. So I will need to selp pollinate, which is fine, but again, do I need to pollinate all of these or do I nip off the flowers as soon as they appear?

Tomatoes
Broad Bean
Peas
Lettuce (Cos variety doesn't flower right?)
Broccoli
Carrots (do they even flower?)
Chillis
Sweetcorn (I know these definately need pollinated)
Pepper
Leek
Courgette
Squash
Onion
Spinach
Avocado
Sweet Potato

Thanks for your help. Most of my plants are at seedling stage atm so I don't have any flowers yet.

[GardenR]

You don't need to remove the flowers from your veg. Many of your vegetables (lettuce, broccoli, carrots, leek, onion, spinich ect) need to be harvested well before they flower anyway.

You will need to pollinate your plants though if your flat doesn't get any bees or insects. I'm really not sure how you would grow all of these vegetables in a flat.

Hope that helps!

[Maralyn45]

I agree with Garden R....

[teddybay-o]

Thank you, I will pollinate by hand where the flower appears first.

I have no choice than to grow them in the flat as I have no other place to put them. Conditions are ideal as the windows get a great deal of light, the humidity is high as they're situated in the gaming room (xbox really heats up room) and I give them plenty of water. It is also a pest free environment.

[LynRuc]

do you think it is a bit late in the season to be just beginning with these veg, and also the fact that they are indoors must make it really difficult for them to grow this late????

Also I see you have some veg there where the plants grow quite large, eg tomato plants and sweetcorn - how will you manage in a flat??

[teddybay-o]

Well tomatoes and sweetcorn grow up the way, and it is a very large flat.

Many people have told me it is 'too late' in the season but that doesn't make as much of a difference indoors as heat and light can be artificial if required.