Tomato Flowers coming off?

[vfem]

The flowers on my tomatoes will bloom and then fall completely off the stems in bunches? Is something eating at them or is the plant just not strong enough for some reason?

I've had dozens of blooms on my brandywine plant which is easily 3ft tall already with HUGE stocky stems.... but the flowers will bloom, start to shrivel and just fall off.

Does this mean they were not pollinated or something?

I just have no tomatoes developing on the plant after all this blooms after several weeks now.

 

[Purple Strawberry]

Is it really windy there?

I had a flower blow off my pumpkin on Friday, it was really windy here though.

 

[vfem]

No, we've had a lot of rain... and some winds one day here... and a day there.... but it seems like the flowers get lost and fall off almost daily... and only the one's that are shriveling up!

 

[patandchickens]

Wait, is it just the individual flowers that are shrivelling and falling off without having set fruit? Or is the whole bunch o' flowers, stem included, falling off?

If the former, most likely they just aren't being pollinated (I believe extremely warm nights can do the same, but that's not a problem I've had myself for a loong time )

If the latter, look for tomato hornworms lurking in the foliage, you would probably find some leaves munched off as well.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[beavis]

tomato flowers are self-pollinating...

they will drop off if the nighttime temps are too low, or the daytime temps are way too high.

I wouldnt worry about it

 

[insiderart]

What have the daytime/night time temps been when they were blooming?

Also if humidity it too high this can hamper pollination.

Are the plants in an area sheltered from the wind?

 

[patandchickens]

tomato flowers are self-pollinating...

Only poorly. You can get quite alot of blossom drop (and on the ones that do set fruit, poor fruits) without bees or hand-pollination. There is also a spray you can use, I believe it is called 'blossom-set' but could be wrong, my mom has always used it on her early tomatoes but I've never used it msyelf)

I wouldnt worry about it

Agree


Pat

 

[bid]

I seem to remember that too much nitrogen will also cause blossom drop. You will have beautiful plants, lots of foliage, but very few fruits. Just another idea.

 

[vfem]

Wow.... I hope I don't have to worry... and I hope I get some decent fruits. I wanted to save some seeds from the Pink Brandywine tomato for myself for next year. So far not one fruit is developing.

We have had HEAVY humidity, lots of rain... 80's during the day and upper 60's to 70's at night. Not the best spring weather. :/

 

[insiderart]

Wow.... I hope I don't have to worry... and I hope I get some decent fruits. I wanted to save some seeds from the Pink Brandywine tomato for myself for next year. So far not one fruit is developing.

We have had HEAVY humidity, lots of rain... 80's during the day and upper 60's to 70's at night. Not the best spring weather. :/

Too much humidity is probably your problem. Makes the pollen too sticky to get to the stigma. Once the humidity goes back to normal you'll most likely see fruit set.