Hi all, I have about 5 tomato plants of various variety, plum, beefsteak, heirloom. None of them grown from seed, I got them from work so they are ok, maybe not great LOL...anyway, they have been growing like crazy with all this rain we are having. I did have a problem with aphids which has been taken care of organically (not into pesticides), I planted them in Miracle Grow Garden Mix and because of the rain I am getting small mushrooms in the garden which I keep thinning out as much as possible.
Here is the problem: I get flowers but they don't produce. Blossom Drop. The temps have been fine, but of course high humidity with all the rain. This is my first year in CenTex so I am wondering if anyone else if having this problem too. Could it be a pollination problem? Any help would be appreciated.
Angel
Anyone else in CenTex having this problem?
Do you have any pollinators visiting? How about the winds? Too high maybe?
I've taken to hand pollinating most days. My cherry tomatoes are going hog wild, but my chocolate stripes are having a similar problem with blossom drop. I don't use pesticides either since I'm trying to keep beneficial bugs around the yard.
Tomatoes are self pollinating so no pollinators are needed, all they need is wind or to shake them. If the plants are doing great but not setting fruit my first guess would be too much nitrogen and not enough phospherous.
You might try posting on the Tomato forum, you'll probably get a lot more expert advice.
most of the people giving advice in the tomato forum are not from Texas so I thought there might be some here who may have had the same problems. I think it might be the pollination that is the problem. I might have to self pollenate and see if that does the trick. Any pointers? I have never had to do that before.
Angel
The only time I see that is when temps get high. I don't have any ideas other than it might be the soil.
I mixed in some garden soil and some good goat poo compost. They are in pots but it's all fresh materials and the pots are enormous.
When I say self pollinating I mean the flower has both male and female parts so you can't really hand pollinate like with squash. They need movement to shake the pollen onto the other part of the flower. If it's a pollination problem it's due to lack of movement.
I've seen this issue adressed other times not just in Tx. It hasn't been too hot, although the night time temps have been high. So too much N is the only other thing I can think of, especially when you say they are growing like crazy. When there is too much N the foliage looks great but they don't set fruit.
When did you plant your tomato plants? Have you fertilized them?
I've got mushrooms growing in pots.
It's a puzzle, high nitrogen does cause vegetative growth at the expense of flowers but that doesnt seem the issue. Not sure how you would correct a nitrogen issue in a pot. I will ask if you have used miracle grow potting soil before. I did not have good results with it when I tried it a couple years back.
C
Are they in a pot? GFWaco said they were being grown in MG garden mix. I don't think that's supposed to be used in containers but added to existing soil. I think it says that on the bag, so that could be an issue. I've used MG potting soil and didn't have any problems The only correction I can think of is to add phosphorous, the middle #, but now you have me thinking about the growing medium...and if any fertilizer was added. Maybe we will know the answers in the morning. I'm wondering when they were planted too.
I hope it is dry enough tomorrow for me to get into my gardens and plant.
GFWaco
yes I had the same problems in some varieties ... but not anymore.
I was gone the last week in April and the first in May and when I came home I found out that many varieties dropped their blossoms.
Mostly in the large fruited varieties.
All I could think it was because of the cooler weather while I was away.
Now all my plants have blooms and they are producing ripen tomatoes like crazy.
My plants have been in the ground since mid February. They are very strong and healthy ... but I really wonder why they did drop all those blossom.
I think it was the cold weather ... 40 degrees drop by one day to the other ... This has been a very strange year, bu I am enjoying the cooler weather and the rain.
No worries.
Keep posting and let us know what it will happen.
By 'hand pollinate' I just meant I blew on the individual flowers since we've had plenty of steady wind days and the porch is rather sheltered.
I'm the one who has mine in pots - but they are allowed more growth than in my ground where the soil is so shallow and bad. Plus, I only have four plants total!
Lisa, hope your harvest is good this year. Have you had any problems from the hail at your place?
No hail but pounding rain and wind.
So far everything looks good but it's been cool enough that my potatoes are still growing. I have a lot of tomatoes set and some of them have been in the ground since the beginning of April. I still don't understand what could be causing blossom drop now. I have about 75 tomato plants I planted peppers today. If all goes as planned I should be done by the end of the week. Containers and everything...
I need to get some peppers. We did skewers last night on the grill with peppers, onions, tomato and squash. Delectable!
sorry guys haven't felt well the last few days. Ok , so they are not in a pot, they are in a raised bed. The thing is that there are two sections to the bed, on one side I used MG Garden Mix for Veggies and on the other I used some dirt we got from a farmer friends. I didn't add anything else to the soil except mulch and only sprayed with magnesium about 2 weeks ago.
The side with the MG has blossom drop, the other side just got blooms on them so we shall see. The plants are all full of blooms now and we are watching them close to see if they are going to drop or produce. everything else in the garden seems to be doing great.
I will keep you posted.
Angel
Ok more info today. 1lisac, I shook them and they don't seem to be dropping as fast now. I don't have any that are ready to fruit up yet - might be a couple of days. My potatoes are still growing too, blooms everywhere - getting potato bugs now too, only a couple that I have seen - any advice on those? LOL
Cheryl: First of all - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Second, no I have never used MG with tomatoes, but I have it in my potatoes and they are growing like gang busters.
drthor: LOVE your harvest, amazing. it could be the night temps until lately. The weather between day and night has stabilized here so like I said I think it is a waiting game now.
In Alabama years ago (like 28) I grew tomatoes and didn't prune, didn't fuss with fertilizer, or anything, just watered and caged them up and watched them grow. I remember having tomatoes for a while, beautiful tomatoes. The soil there was more sandy than here but who knows what made them grow like that. Now almost 30 years later we have to contend with crazy weather, new species of bugs and crappy soil and weather....what happened? LOL
Angel
I agree, less then 2 weeks ago it was 47* one morning. The low night time temps could have been a problem. I must admit since the temp. swings aren't as drastic my plants are growing much faster and I know have tomato buttons.
From what you are posting, none of your plants have set fruit, I suggested shaking them to pollinate, I didn't realize the blooms were falling off when you did that.
Now my plants are doing great !
I really think it was the cooler weather.
I was gone for 2 weeks and my DH doesn't do anything in the garden ... so no fertilize problem at all.
It must have been the cooler weather. Maybe larger fruited varieties don't like that very much.
GFWaco
let me know how you are doing.
Went out this morning and once again, the blossoms are gone. They seem to get a small swelling about 1/4 to 1/2 inch down the stem, then break off there. I have shaken to pollenate, so the only thing I can think of is either I do have too much nitrogen in there or the gnats are eating them - we have an over abundance of those.
Here are some pics. As you can see they are growing like crazy.
Hey, could it be ants???? The aphids are gone but could the ants be doing this? Just in case, added ash to the MG side this morning
Angel
This message was edited May 31, 2013 9:27 AM
GFWaco
ants will help with pollination.
Did you fertilize the plants with Nitrogen?
Look at this huge Chocolate Stripes tomato ... soon it will be ready.
drthor, nope just goat poop in the soil and used MG garden mix. I have just eliminated everything else. wow nice fruit!
Ants in south Texas areas cause more than aphid issues. Try bird nettimg. shakem again and soak down well. Hows the calcium? Pinch off some of the lower branches. MG is better for houseplants than veggies- veggies were one time weeds and needs less fancy dirt. Make the plant have to get to work. Water will thin down the N that houseplants like.
By the way¿ are you finding the maters after they disappear- like on the ground?
we have been very wet here Kit. I think we have only had about a week with no rain for the last 3 weeks or so. Before that it was just all the cold/warm off and on again weather. There are no tomatoes at all, not on the bushes, not on the ground, no where. so sad
Angel
K. nex step. dissassemble one of those swellings. see if something in it.
GF it's still early in the season and the plants are healthy so there is still time for fruit set, don't give up.
Did you use fresh or composted goat poop? Still leaning towards too much N but I would like to know what's in those swollen areas.
I was just reading about feeding pepper and tomato plants and the article said if your experiencing dropped flowers or small fruit it is too much N or temps. below 55* at night.
cool temps reduce pollinator activity. When I got dropped blooms no fruit it was no bees. and that would be how I became a beekeeper. For 4 months I shook bushes and tried hand and feather pollination.
No Goat poop on that side because of it being Miracle Grow. I looked this morning and it seems that so far it is just my Heirloom Tomatoes that are doing this. It is the first year I have ever tried these. So far the other plants have blooms but they haven't produced fruit or dropped the blooms. I will keep checking them.
There doesn't seem to be anything in the swelling - that was my first thought was a bug or something - of course it could be too small for my 50 year old eyes to see. But I don't see anything and my camera won't take a picture that close.
I think at this point it is just a wait a week and see what happens with the other plants. I will keep you all informed for sure since this is just weird, unless there is something about heirlooms I don't know.
Angel
GFWaco,
you are right. The problem is only on my larger fruited tomatoes.
But now I do have lots of blooms.
Gypsi-tomatoes are self pollinating no insects needed most of the flowers are pollinated before they open. Same with peppers, eggplant and beans.
Temps under 55* degrees affect the viability of the pollen, which could be the problem bc the weather has been crazy. I have jillions of tomatoes set and my micro climate is one the chilly side.
GF how long have the plants been in the ground?
First thing I would do is to check the PH all of the rain I have been getting has been 7 or slightly over which is a nice neutral number but a bit high for good tomato production ..I have been fighting the PH battle here as we have had over a foot of rain in the last 2 weeks ,today I checked a few spots as well as some of the raised beds every single place was 7or over
Ph could be an issue I know mine is high but it's never caused the flowers to drop like that. Everything I read says too much Nitrogen.
Can't remember who said they used composted goat poo, that's what I use not too. I know from attending my goats raisers association meetings that goat poo is rather high in nitrogen. Goats have a very efficient digestive system and it doesn't really need to be composted much (as compared to, say, cow poo) before use, but one of the speakers did warn about a med high nitrogen content. I seem to remember someone on Dave's here warning me about that, too. Also, it is slow release.
Also-as drthor said, each variety of tomato seems to have different reactions to weather/temp fluctuations depending (I think) on its breeding. So the crazy temperature fluctuations we have been having here in my neck of the woods has been causing some blossom drop. But only on a couple of varieties. Turkey Chomp and Extreme Bush, for example haven't seemed to be affected at all. It seem like Sophie's (sp?) Choice has been one to drop some blossoms. You wouldn't think so as that one is supposed to be an early producer and I would have thought it would be more acclimated to temp swings, but go figure....
Sigh, some of my plants didn't make it at all. Between the heavy winds and the cold nights some just flopped over and gave up. So I'm filling in the gaps with sweet potatoes and I'll just trellis them in with the tomatoes. Don't know how that will work, but I guess I'll find out. Am starting some tomatoes for this fall tonight actually. So onward and upward! ☺
DH has been working on making some tomato cages out of cattle panels for me. Next spring I'm using those and wrapping them in that perforated plastic I have on hand. As suggested by several TX growers over on the Tomato Forum. Love Dave's! If I have a problem, someone always seems to have a viable solution! I just have to suck it up about my phobia regarding tomato cages and spiders and I will be in like Flynn!
At $5 a piece, tomato cages have been killing me, I've got about 30 plants and about 15 cages. I have 2x4 fencing, woohoo, anchor with folded piece of coat hanger or a landscape staple, thank you for the inspiration!
Terri yeah I love this forum too! Made some friends in the short time I have been here who have given my most of the plants I have in my yard. They are all growing like gangbusters too.
I thought about the Ph of the soil with all the rain I am getting and the fact that the melons seem to be growing like crazy. The word on the street here is that Waco has an over abundance of bees this year - I haven't seen any, just wasps..ugh...but who knows maybe soon. Would be nice to have a fruitful garden this year.
I am thinking all my potatoes might be a wash - literally since we have had all the rain. I am trying to think of a way to get them out of the way of the sprinklers and let them dry out a bit but out of the sprinklers means out of the sun too. The joys of living under a canopy!
My next dilemma is finding a place for the okra plant my husband got me at the farmers market a couple of weeks ago...I have NO room! LOL
Oh, btw Lilac, the tomatoes were planted the end of March. Here is a better pic of them
Too much water on em. hadnt realized you had gotten that much. Okra likes water, but needs all the sun you can give it. You can trim lower leaves as it grows and crowd them a bit. How well does your tomato bed drain? They prob need it dryer than potatoes. Better with soured store bought compost added to tomato than bagged MG. It will be heating up soon enough, but may go straight to too hot.
UPDATE: Kittriana was right!!!! it finally dried out here and bang - I got tomatoes!!!
So far nothing on the MG side but I am adding a bit more ash today as it really might be too rich.
So here is the goat poop side with it's little tomatoes. There are two of them, one is hiding in the picture. So now I know that at least some of my plants might produce!
Question, I have a bit of room in my rose garden for the okra plant (I just have one) but that gets the most sun and water, what do you think? Can I plant it there? It really needs to get in the ground.
Angel
Great! I had no idea you had gotten that much rain. I rarely see that problem in Texas. I'm glad you got it figured out.
Dr Thor- Is that a Chinese okra pod in your first photo? I just bought a vine and have never grown them before. I see Fiori di Zucchini Fritti on your menu!