A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum The Tomato Forum Tomato Blossoms

I live in NM and Have 2 raised Garden beds. This is the second year in a row I can't get any of my tomato plants to hold a bloom long enough for the fruit to start. It looks like they get real close but then dry up and fall off. I have tried using the blossom set spray and doesn't work. The plants get real tall and healthy looking but no fruit. Help Please!!!!

Good question I have the same problem,, hopefully we can get an answer soon

okay I looked at several different areas, I concluded this,,,

Temperature Too High or Too Low
Lack of Pollination
Nitrogen - Too Much or Too Little
Humidity Too High or Low Humidity.
Lack of water
Stress from insect damage or disease

The most frequent cause of tomato blossom drop is temperature.
High daytime temperatures (above 85 F / 29 C)
High Nighttime Temperatures (Below 70 / 21 C)
Low Nighttime Temperatures (Below 55 / 13 C)
I live in Tx and I have one growing out of a pot,, I didn't plant it, I guess a bird gifted me with it.
Next year I will go buy one,, but I will Buy a Heat tolerate variety
In the mean time I will baby this one along and see what happens

Angelblossom your info pretty much covers the causes of dropped blooms. One of the things you can do that helps is of an morning if the plants and blooms are dry and of a late evening shake the plant, give it a good brushing, ect and this will help with pollination. In my opinion the blossom set spray is a waste of money. Temps and humidity are the main culprits usually. Here in extreme SW KS I usually don't have much humidity problem but I do have the temp problems. Over fertilizing will also cause the plants to grow and not bloom and set properly. I watch how I fertilize. I use lots of mulch on all of my plants whether in the ground or in containers. My soil is in real good shape verified by soil tests and also the large amount of worms I see. And feeding I do till the plants set heavily is with a blooming/rooting formula. Where the middle number is high when you look at the N-P-K numbers. My preference is a ratio of say 10-20-10. I use a foliar feed from Fertilome when I transplant, ect that has a middle number of 59. This encourages good root growth and also blooming. Jay

Jay,, I Shook the tomato plant this morning to pollinate the blooms,, My grandson (5yrs) asked me' WHY are you killing the plant"

Jay, This has happened for 2 yrs in a row now and the wind in NM should be enough shaking for the pollination I hope. Or maybe too much shaking? The temperature is in the low 90's down to the low 60's at night. I have yet to test the soil but I am leaning that way. Do you now where a person could pickup a soil tester for just a home small gardener?
Angelblossom Thanks for the info. I am going to keep a mulch on the beds and check my soil. It is just weird for 2 yrs in a row the same problem.

I know it is weird,,, Most nursery's will test your soil for you call your nearest one, I'm sure they'll help you,, Homedepot may carry them I'm not sure.

Well good news I haven't had the soil tested and we are still going from mid 90's down to the 60's. I have about 10 tomatoes coming in on 1 plant, but not all the blossoms are turning to tomatoes some still fall off. I am just glad I wasn't skunked another year. And I think my soil is getting where it is suppose to be in this bed.