Q. I have some Early Girl tomatoes that I planted in
March from plantlets that I bought. I talked to the Early Girls about a month
later and told them that if they did not flower in the following week, I would
feed them to the worms in my compost pile. Well they seemed to have listened,
because they made lots of flowers but the flowers didn’t set fruit. What did I
do wrong?
March from plantlets that I bought. I talked to the Early Girls about a month
later and told them that if they did not flower in the following week, I would
feed them to the worms in my compost pile. Well they seemed to have listened,
because they made lots of flowers but the flowers didn’t set fruit. What did I
do wrong?
A. Tomatoes are pollinated by insects, primarily bees.
However, if temperatures are in the 90’s and above they have trouble setting
fruit. They just don’t like those high temperatures for pollination. They set
better when temperatures are in the high 60’s and 70’s up to about 85F.
However, if temperatures are in the 90’s and above they have trouble setting
fruit. They just don’t like those high temperatures for pollination. They set
better when temperatures are in the high 60’s and 70’s up to about 85F.
Other
reasons for flower drop and no fruit set might be uneven watering so it is a
good idea to mulch the plants. Straw is a good choice. I think a bale of straw
no goes for about $8 locally. Low
night temperatures below 55F can cause flower drop as well.
reasons for flower drop and no fruit set might be uneven watering so it is a
good idea to mulch the plants. Straw is a good choice. I think a bale of straw
no goes for about $8 locally. Low
night temperatures below 55F can cause flower drop as well.
Also over fertilizing
with nitrogen fertilizer may cause no flower development until the nitrogen is
depleted a bit from the soil.
with nitrogen fertilizer may cause no flower development until the nitrogen is
depleted a bit from the soil.
If
temperatures are good, the bee does not actually have to visit the flower. Vibrations
from bee activity are enough to set the fruit. If tomatoes are grown in
greenhouses for instance and there are no insects in the house, the movement of
the plants from vibrations caused by an electric toothbrush is often times
enough to get them to set.
temperatures are good, the bee does not actually have to visit the flower. Vibrations
from bee activity are enough to set the fruit. If tomatoes are grown in
greenhouses for instance and there are no insects in the house, the movement of
the plants from vibrations caused by an electric toothbrush is often times
enough to get them to set.
So make
sure you have pollinator activity when temperatures are appropriate for fruit
set. Otherwise, gently shake them while you are talking to them. Maybe a slight
physical threat might work.
sure you have pollinator activity when temperatures are appropriate for fruit
set. Otherwise, gently shake them while you are talking to them. Maybe a slight
physical threat might work.
Another
thing you can do is buy some tomato fruit setting chemicals. These are
synthetic copies of natural plant growth regulators called gibberellins. It is
usually applied when temperatures are cool, not hot like they are now. They are
sold in nurseries or garden centers with names like tomato fruit set or the
like. Follow the label directions.