Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
I have 7 foot tall plants with almost no tomatoes. This isn't the first time either. I haven't fertilized but have used Scott's tomato feed every other watering. Why do I keep getting all plant and no fruit?
Tomatoes
- Thread starter Mike Belt
- Start date
trealtree
Well-Known Member
Magnesium deficiency. Add some Epsom salt to a bucket of water and spray/pour it on there a few times a week
Wobblyshot1
Well-Known Member
Too much nitrogen maybe(promotes foliage) backing off the on the Scotts might help.
Too high or low temps will prevent them from setting fruit.
The Epson salt is worth a try
GET A SOIL TEST NEXT YEAR.
Too high or low temps will prevent them from setting fruit.
The Epson salt is worth a try
GET A SOIL TEST NEXT YEAR.
Chapman
Well-Known Member
I agree with maybe too much nitrogen. Are they getting a lot of shade, maybe not enough sun?
Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
I've run into the problem of too much nitrogen before so I know about that. All I feed is Miracle Grow tomato food at the recommended rate. When I planted my first tomatoes I was afraid they wouldn't get enough sunlight so I planted the same thing in a sunny location as a control measure to see. They are all doing the same thing; beautiful plants, lots of blooms, and no tomatoes.
Wobblyshot1
Well-Known Member
I don't know if this would have anything to do with it or not, but are they one variety or are there several?
Same here. No Epsom salt added, probably too late. I planted from heirloom seeds tho, and afraid I planted too late.
Chapman
Well-Known Member
Are you growing recommended tomato varieties for your area? Do you have other vegetables that producing good for you? It does seem odd that they are blooming good and not setting tomatoes. I would cut back on the tomato food and see if it makes a difference.
Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
Three different varieties. Something I noticed last time I had this problem was a lack of any bee sightings. Possibly no pollination?????
AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
Bumble bees do the majority of tomatoe pollination.
Do you have flowers on the plant?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Do you have flowers on the plant?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
DaveB
Well-Known Member
Lots of tomatoes self-pollinate.
However, the plant is doing what it is supposed to, growing lots of green to support the tomato. Fertilizer mix is wrong and there is really nothing to do about it at this point, far as I know. Let them grow. You can prune them.
However, the plant is doing what it is supposed to, growing lots of green to support the tomato. Fertilizer mix is wrong and there is really nothing to do about it at this point, far as I know. Let them grow. You can prune them.
Wobblyshot1
Well-Known Member
Good article that I found interesting
Bees, Are They Required to Make Tomatoes?
Janice Johnson, Amador Master Gardener
Are bees required to pollinate your plants so that you'll have tomatoes this
year? Some people say yes. Others say tomato flowers are complete,
having both male and female parts, making them self pollinating, no
bees required. Well, the answer is a definite maybe!
The original wild tomatoes did have a native bee as a pollinator, but when the tomato
plants were taken from South America to other continents the pollinator was left behind.
As modern tomato varieties were developed, the need for a pollinator diminished.
When everything is perfect a tomato flower is self pollinating. That means it's not too hot
or too cold, that the humidity is not too high or too low, and that there is a breeze. Backyard
gardeners can't do much about the temperature or the humidity, but we can simulate
a breeze. The ideal temperature for a tomato to set fruit is between 60° and 75°. You
won't get any fruit set if it is below 50° or higher than 90°, so those years when we skip
spring and go from chilly winter to hot summer, we don't get many tomatoes. And, it feels
like this could be one of those years!
In tomato greenhouses they can control the temperature and humidity and where there is
no natural breeze they use fans, vibrators or bumble bees. Honey bees are not particularly
attracted to tomato pollen, but the buzzing of those big bumble bees works great. I visited
a commercial nursery that was hybridizing tomatoes. They had a homemade vibrating
gadget that they made from a flashlight and a door bell to vibrate the tomato flowers
so that they could collect the pollen.
This may be one of those years when your tomatoes may need your help to set fruit. Here
are a few recommendations that will help. Do not over fertilize or your plants may make a
lot of foliage and few flowers. Water your tomato plants deeply twice a week and keep the
ground covered with 3" or 4" of mulch. Practice IPM and avoid inadvertently killing the
good bugs, such as those big bumble bees that may be helping pollinate your tomatoes.
Simulate the required breeze by gently shaking your tomato plants or by vibrating
the flowers with an electric toothbrush. You'll have some explaining to do if your nosey
neighbors see you!
June 2011
Amador/El Dorado County
Master Gardener E News
Bees, Are They Required to Make Tomatoes?
Janice Johnson, Amador Master Gardener
Are bees required to pollinate your plants so that you'll have tomatoes this
year? Some people say yes. Others say tomato flowers are complete,
having both male and female parts, making them self pollinating, no
bees required. Well, the answer is a definite maybe!
The original wild tomatoes did have a native bee as a pollinator, but when the tomato
plants were taken from South America to other continents the pollinator was left behind.
As modern tomato varieties were developed, the need for a pollinator diminished.
When everything is perfect a tomato flower is self pollinating. That means it's not too hot
or too cold, that the humidity is not too high or too low, and that there is a breeze. Backyard
gardeners can't do much about the temperature or the humidity, but we can simulate
a breeze. The ideal temperature for a tomato to set fruit is between 60° and 75°. You
won't get any fruit set if it is below 50° or higher than 90°, so those years when we skip
spring and go from chilly winter to hot summer, we don't get many tomatoes. And, it feels
like this could be one of those years!
In tomato greenhouses they can control the temperature and humidity and where there is
no natural breeze they use fans, vibrators or bumble bees. Honey bees are not particularly
attracted to tomato pollen, but the buzzing of those big bumble bees works great. I visited
a commercial nursery that was hybridizing tomatoes. They had a homemade vibrating
gadget that they made from a flashlight and a door bell to vibrate the tomato flowers
so that they could collect the pollen.
This may be one of those years when your tomatoes may need your help to set fruit. Here
are a few recommendations that will help. Do not over fertilize or your plants may make a
lot of foliage and few flowers. Water your tomato plants deeply twice a week and keep the
ground covered with 3" or 4" of mulch. Practice IPM and avoid inadvertently killing the
good bugs, such as those big bumble bees that may be helping pollinate your tomatoes.
Simulate the required breeze by gently shaking your tomato plants or by vibrating
the flowers with an electric toothbrush. You'll have some explaining to do if your nosey
neighbors see you!
June 2011
Amador/El Dorado County
Master Gardener E News
Chapman
Well-Known Member
I've heard you can also tap your tomato stakes which shakes the plant and can help with pollination.
