Gardening Question of the Week: My Tomatoes Look Healthy, They Bloom, Then Nothing. What’s Wrong? Tomato Blossom Drop
Thursday May 29, 2008
Bill posted this question in the About Gardening Forum: "...my sister recently gave me a few tomato plants. The plants she has at her home always seem to do well. The plants are started from seeds from the previous year time and time again... My problem: the plants look green and healthy, they bloom and then NOTHING. No tomato’s just rotted blooms. I thought it may be a pollination problem but in the past I always had fruit. Any suggestions?"
This is one of those annoying little quirks of nature. Tomatoes don’t like it too cold, too damp, too hot or too dry. They like it just right - or they shrug off their blossoms and wait. It’s called, aptly, blossom drop. You can’t control the weather, but there are some things you can do to control tomato blossom drop, besides being patient and waiting for the weather to change. Most importantly, select tomato varieties that will be happy with your weather. Next, keep your tomato plants healthy and stress free. If you’re experiencing tomato blossom drop you have my sympathy and you can have my advice at dealing with tomato blossom drop.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc.
Comments
If cold outside water plant with warm water not hot. Don’t let plant touch the ground if so prune it’s lower leafs this will prevent leaf curl plus. Now your answer to the loss of your blooms try touching the blooms with a small brush I think it works better than the bee’s you tell me.I had same deal 20 days ago now I have 40 TOMATOES on one plant now what do you think about that.