Why won't my tomato plants flower?

Question

My tomatoe plants just grow really tall but don't flower or get tomatoes. What is wrong? Not enough sunlight?

Answer 1

I'm quoting an article from Texas A & M and Gardener's Supply.

"If few flowers form on your tomato plants or the flowers drop before setting fruit, possible causes include:
-Excess nitrogen
-Too little sun
-Nighttime temperatures above 70 degrees F or below 50 degrees F
-Drought stress
Avoid soil amendments with soluble nitrogen, be sure plants get a full day of sunlight and keep the soil evenly moist throughout the season. At planting time, use a balanced, granular fertilizer that's made for tomatoes, such as our Organic Tomato Fertilizer. During the growing season, treat your plants to a water-soluble fertilizer, such as Plant Health Care. "

The Tomato fertilizer they reference is 5-6-5 ("The three numbers that you see on a fertilizer label, such as 5-5-5, tell you what proportion of each nutrient the fertilizer contains. The first number is always nitrogen (N), the second is phosphorus (P) and the third is potassium (K). This "N-P-K" ratio reflects the available nutrients —by weight—contained in that fertilizer. For example, if a 100-pound bag of fertilizer has an N-P-K ratio of 5-7-4, it contains 5 pounds of nitrate, 7 pounds of phosphate (which contains phosphorous), 4 pounds of potash (which contains potassium) and 84 pounds of filler.") but it is best when planting. The second fertilizer (plant health care) is an 8-10-10 and would be appropriate for your plants now--so I would suggest finding a water soluble 8-10-10 fertilizer and giving your plants a drink :)
I am also using red plastic underneath my tomato plants this year which is supposed to help them produce more.
I know other people recommended miracle grow products, I would not, it can burn your plants and get too much "plant" but not many tomatoes. I think it is caused by excess nitrogen. I checked if others had this problem and here is one http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-DAB-48C5AAC-39D28C2F-prod1.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

One answer said it might be too early but it depends on where you live. But yes direct full sunlight is extremely important BUT....

...well ..fellow gardener I have a secret for you! Now even though this is a world wide site I KNOW NO ONE else is going to read this! Ha ha. But here is the secret. Birth control pills.

The estrogen in the pill make the tomatoe plant really "happy" and helps the plant blossom over 80% increase in yield. I was in the newspaper down in California for the largest tomatoe plant ever. Over 8 feet across, 10 feet high and 2-1/2 feet deep! I was feeding the entire neighbor hood until the first frost hit! The estrogen is harmless to us so don't worry about that!! I know that was your first thought too when I heard about it. They grow big and red and tons of em! Take one regular birth control pill and add it to a gallon of water, use about 1/3 of the gallon on first watering. Water twice after with regular plain water. Then water with half of whats left, then water twice again as usual with plaiin water and continue this process. Don't over water your plants as the leafs turn yellow (warning sign) and will cause the tomatoes to split as the weather waxes and wanes Hot and Warm, Cool to Hot again. Watch your plants begin to "produce" so many tomatoes you will be feeding your family, friends, and neighborhood as well! Good luck! This also works for any plant that has fruits and veggies develop from blossoms! Peppers, strawberries(wow), cucumbers, squash, mellons, etc..

Answer 3

The flowers turn into the fruit, so leave them. If you have lots of flower clusters on your plant, clipping some of them will allow the plant to devote more energy to producing bigger tomatoes on the remaining blooms. Trim unproductive limbs as well, as they merely suck resources from the productive vines. Fertilize the plant, buy a tomato cage for support instead of just staking them, and water sufficiently. Tomato plants don't like to be waterlogged, so watch the amount of water. If they wilt a bit in hot weather, don't panic. This is normal. Add some water and you will literally be able to see them perk up again. Follow these rules and you'll be harvesting lots and lots of tomatoes!

Answer 4

I had forgotten all about the birth control pill trick. IT WORKS! I used it many years ago. I canned tomatoes. I froze tomatoes. I gave tomatoes away to strangers on the street. I had tomatoes go to waste because I just could not use/give away all that my plants produced.

Off to the doctor for a script . . .

Answer 5

My Tomatos are finally sprouting. THey get direct sun for about 6 hours a day. THen they are in the shade the rest of the time. I also give them miracle grow plant food. Hope that helps and good luck. Have a tomato sandwich for me. :)

Answer 6

You have over fertilized them. Do not apply fertilizer after planting. You will only get leaves, not tomatoes. Also they need plenty of sun. Once the little yellow flowers form, they will become tomatoes.

Answer 7

When you plant them you should put them in the ground fairly deep say four to five inches. Keep them watered but don't drown them. When the soil temp and the daily heating degrees are right they should grow and begin to fill out. Then the plants should start setting on blooms. They won't bloom till the plants are mature enough.

Answer 8

You're probably using a fertilizer very high in nitrogen(miracle-gro etc.)...Try using a fertilizer higher in phorphorus(miracle-gro- bloom booster, etc.)...there are also several good tomato setting sprays...check with your garden center...Also you'll get better tasting fruits if you hold back on the watering just a bit(water just enough so that the plants DON'T get stressed)

Happy planting

Answer 9

maybe. it depends where you are in the world, when you planted them, where they are in the ground or in a pot, the sunlight, and how much water you give them

Answer 10

I set mine out 2 weeks ago and haven't gotten anything yet. Last year we thought we'd never get any....
Just keep them watered and something will happen.
I've had years like that.
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