Poor pollination

[curly_kate]

I noticed this year I have a number of blooms on my tomatoes and squash that didn't seem to get pollinated. I know that every year I've had some blooms that just die, but this seems to be a lot more than usual. I've been dealing with blight since I've planted the tomatoes, so could that have something to do with it?

 

[hoodat]

I noticed this year I have a number of blooms on my tomatoes and squash that didn't seem to get pollinated. I know that every year I've had some blooms that just die, but this seems to be a lot more than usual. I've been dealing with blight since I've planted the tomatoes, so could that have something to do with it?

Blight on tomatos could very well cause failure of blossoms to set.
As for your squash, often natures pollinators do a poor job and you have to hand pollinate. Only bumblebees seem to be eficient pollinators on squash blossoms.

 

[lesa]

Now that we have bees, I can grow squash, and pumpkins, like nobodies business! It has made a big difference having all those hard workers out there!

 

[curly_kate]

That's what I think is so weird. When we dug the garden at the new farm, we put a beehive at the end of it. When I was out weeding, they were busy on the squash, but not touching the tomatoes. :/

 

[hoodat]

Tomato blossoms aren't very attractive to most polinating insects but fortunately they aren't needed Tomato blossoms are complete (having both male and female parts) and are pretty much self pollinating. Anything that disturbs the blossoms, such as wind, will cause the polen to fall onto the stamen. Some gardeners give the plants a shake once in awhile to make that happen. Failure to set fruit usually has more to do with nightime temps than insects. Tomatos require nightime temps of at least 55 and into the 60s is even better. On the other hand daytime temps of 90 and above can kill pollen due to heat if it goes on very long.