Hanging Tomatoes..... ALMOST NO FRUIT....
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Deltagardener on Jul 27, 2013How hot is it there?Helpful Reply
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Jim Ginas on Jul 27, 2013Normally in high 80s, with a couple weeks of 90s, and EVERY Year we get 3-5 days of HIGH 90s w/ Heat Index of 101-105 degrees. Last week was THAT heat and the pool water actually was at 94 degrees...... This week back to low-mid 80s..... next week in high 80s again.Helpful Reply
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Catherine Smith on Jul 28, 2013Back off of the fertilizer. With all that additional nitrogen, you're encouraging the plant to grow more leaves not fruit. ^-^ Try spraying the plants with Epsom salts water (1 tablespoon to 1 gallon of water). The additional magnesium may help encourage them to start to produce and set fruit.Helpful Reply
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Jim Ginas on Jul 28, 2013Catherine.... Interesting... just watched a video last night about Epsom Salts for helping the yellowing leaves of the Cucumbers.... lack of magnesium! I had my grandson bring me paper & pencil to start my notes for the store to start with Epsom Salts! Thank you.Helpful Reply
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Catherine Smith on Jul 29, 2013I'm quite sure you have similar wonderful VA red clay, Jim. And clay particles have a tendency to lock down trace minerals. so you need to supplement a bit for best plant health. I occasionally side dress with EPs, but I mainly use Bokashi juice and diluted EM-1. It's a probiotic for the soil and works wonders to both greatly improve soil health and which for makes for more productive, healthier plants that can better withstand disease and insect pests. I have also recently started using Azomite trace minerals in conjunction with the EM-1 with excellent results. Since I am an organic gardener, these products are organic and totally non-toxic. Good stuff!Helpful Reply
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Jim Ginas on Jul 29, 2013Thank you Catherine. I'll research some of what you mentioned to understand what they are and where to buy them!Helpful Reply
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Phillip Williams on Jul 29, 2013Catherine has good advice. The typical reason that we get huge plants and no fruit is the over application of nitrogen. You should also be aware that tomatoes stop flowering when the heat gets into the ninetiesHelpful Reply
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Jim Ginas on Jul 29, 2013ok, so the fact the tomatoes slowed is not necessarily anything I can control, just need the cooler temps again..... thank youHelpful Reply
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Dianna Atchison on Aug 04, 2013When the temps are in the 90's, often the night time temps do not go below 75. When that happens, the buds will not set. Similar to what Phillip said, but it is actually the night time temps that are the culprit. Agree with the nitrogen comments also.Helpful Reply
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Jim Ginas on Aug 04, 2013So with teh temps dropping to the 80s now and night time temps in 60s and some 70s.... tomatoes are starting to grow pretty well now! I get 2-4 Red tomatoes per 3-4 days and have 30-40 GREEN CHERRY tomatoes that just haven't turned red yet. Not sure why though.Helpful Reply
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Deltagardener on Aug 04, 2013Interesting as here if the temperatures go over 32C the tomato flowers become sterile and fall off, therefore no fruit. I find that cooler temperatures help to set fruit.Helpful Reply
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Catherine Smith on Aug 05, 2013@Jim G, There are 2 types of tomatoes, determinate and indeterminate. Cherry tomatoes are for the most part "determinate" types of tomatoes. That means they stop growing when fruit sets on the terminal or top bud, ripen all their crop at or near the same time (usually over a 2 week period). Some of those die off after they finish the first batch of fruit, but many of the newer types will continue to re bloom and set fruit several times during the growing season. (When those cherry tomatoes ripen, then side dress the plants with fertilizer, the plant will need the nutrients to produce more fruit). The indeterminate type are mostly the larger "slicing" type of tomato, that vine and can get quite large. They continually bloom and produce fruit during the growing season. Tomatoes can be quite temperature sensitive, when we get these weeks of super hot 90+ degree weather, they stop blooming for awhile, but that's normal. They don't like being out in that heat either. LOLHelpful Reply
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Jim Ginas on Aug 05, 2013@ Catherine: Thank you!! Helps to understand both!Helpful Reply
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Catherine Smith on Aug 06, 2013No problem, Jim G, glad to help :)Helpful Reply
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