tomato blooms fall off

[mit]

troubles with tomato blooms falling off not setting. any body have the solution? thanks

[dragonfly]

It's probably no the right conditions for pollination. My guess is probably the temperatures.

[mit]

same thing happened last year. blooms come out nice then bend over and fall off. this went on all year to about 50% of blooms.

[Uncle David]

Thumb the flowers to help them pollinate. Tomatoes need wind to pollinate them, if they are not getting enough wind you will need to help them.
Good Luck!

[culdeus]

[quote="Uncle David"]Thumb the flowers to help them pollinate. Tomatoes need wind to pollinate them, if they are not getting enough wind you will need to help them.
Good Luck![/quote]

No, no, no. Tomatoes are "perfect" and can pollinate themselves in total isolation. This is the method you use to get good seed stock for next year. Wind if anything hurts production because it stresses the plants.

[Uncle David]

Tomato flowers come complete with both male and female organs and are self-fertilizing. Pollen is shed with great abundance between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on dry, sunny days. Normally, the wind will pollinate the flower sufficiently. To ensure better pollination, gently shake or vibrate the entire tomato plant. The best time to do this is midday when it's warm, and the humidity is low. Optimum fruit set occurs within a very narrow night temperature range of between 60° F and 70° F. When tomato plants experience night temperatures lower than 55° F or above 75° F, interference with the growth of pollen tubes prevents normal fertilization. The pollen may even become sterile, thus causing the blossoms to drop. High daytime temperatures, rain, or prolonged humid conditions also hamper good fruit set. If the humidity is too low, the pollen will be too dry and will not adhere to the stigma. If the humidity is too high, the pollen will not shed readily. Pollen grains may then stick together, resulting in poor or nonexistent pollination.
Have you ever wondered why large-fruited tomato cultivars are sometimes "catfaced" but not the small-fruited ones? This is due to a failure of complete fertilization of the ovule. The larger fruit demands more complete fertilization. This is not a disease but a physiological disorder.

For further infomation contact your local Cooperative Extension Office.

From The Gardener, Vol. 6 No. 2, Summer 1995

[kbrew]

culdeus wrote: Wind if anything hurts production because it stresses the plants.
A little stress is good for tomato production. Some people whack them with a broom.

[dragonfly]

I tap the tomato cages with a stick to increase pollination.

[bmarable]

I read the other day that too much nitrogen will cause the blooms to fall off.

[mit]

well, to shake or not that is the question. can you get to much nitrogen in a organic program?

[Kathe Kitchens]

It's just too darned cold right now. They'll get more stimulated when the soil temperature perks up and the trace nutrients are more available. Blooms can only last so long, naturally. If they're not fertilized they go away and don't set fruit.

I do tap mine a little if needed but they're in a place where the wind hits them enough so it's not necessary much. Once the bees get out and about they'll help a lot.

High nitrogen does effect bloom set and yes, you can over do it in an organic program. Too much bat guano or corn gluten, both high nitrogen, will produce the same effect as a high nitrogen synthetic fertilizer - too much growth too soon with weak cells and plants taller than their stems can support.

There are also "bloom set" products found on most shelves, mostly (but not all) synthetic hormone products. The plants won't produce normal hormone levels until and unless conditions are right. Just like any creature they wait until their chances to reproduce are the best. So some folks just add them artificially.

Hope that helps! :D
Kathe