where are my tomatoes??????

Question

i planted a few tomatoe plants this year and they are growing tall and green. i have gotten a few small tomatoes off of them and was told to put epson salt around them to increase my yield?? i did so and also used miracle grow on them. they seem to have plenty of blooms, but are yielding few fruit?? what am i doing wrong???

Answer 1

It looks like the fertilizer you used went into growing more leaves & stems than fruit. Your tomato plants somehow got too much nitrogen. If the Miracle Gro you used had a 24-8-16 mixture, it was not balanced & should have had more phosphorus (middle number) for promoting flowers & fruit. Or maybe your plants just got too much fertilizer which "could cause excessive vegatative growth at the expense of developing ripe fruit. " (1)

Nitrogen promotes leafy foilage, etc.
Phosphorus helps grow more flowers and the blooms.
Potassium for root development.

I'm in the same boat as you. My tomato plants are just starting to develop fruit because they just got TOO much fertilizer & too much nitrogen. One plant got 5ft tall before it started to flower. I used "Miracle Gro Pro Select All Purpose Plant Food for all flowers, vegetables, etc." (20-20-20 mix) along with a heavy dose of compost.
Next year I'll go back to using only compost placed deep in the planting hole before I put in the plants. I also have to top off & trim my plants to stop the excessive growth & to encourage more flowering. :)
Several sources recommended that:"A good fertilizer for growing tomatoes is dried, composted manure mixed with bone meal (2)

Answer 2

They may be getting polinated. If you do not have enough insects around to polinate them they will not set fruit. I give the branches of my plants a good shake once each day to help them polinate. there is also a product called Blossom Set which can be sprayed of the blossoms to help them set. You shou,d only be fertilizing once a month with a fertilizer with a high middle number, something 10-52-10 or 9-45-15. The middle number is the one that producces blossoms. Pinch the suckers, too. You may want to limit the height of the plant by piching the top out. This will encourage the plant to put its' strenght into producing fruit. You don't say whether the plants are in the ground or in pots. This could make adifference in the watering and feeding.Good luck.CORRECTION: First sentence should have said "may NOT be getting polinated. Sorry.

Answer 3

Pollination is not the problem or you would not be getting any fruit.
I don't believe you are over feeding them either, tomatoes can take just about anything you can throw at them.
I would look at the seed your using, where did you source them?. Buy a good hybrid from a reputable dealer.
Pinch out the plants and don't allow the soil to dry right out.

Answer 4

You have done everything right.. just a bad year i guess. I have to many to take care of.. What type did you plant.. and where do you live.? what kind of weather have you had..
If you don't keep them watered enough the blooms will fall before starting fruit.

Answer 5

There's a Tomato Nabber in the Neighbor hood!

Answer 6

Go to the spray-n-grow web site.I have been using their products for yrs and all blooms set fruit,I promise you won't be disappointed.

Answer 7

try trimming back some of the leaves to get more nutrients to the blooms itself.
Are they getting enough sunlight and water? miricle grow all you want, without sun and water it does not matter.

Answer 8

Sounds like minimal sun is the problem.

Answer 9

Try use degradable kitchen refuse.

Answer 10

you are over feeding for one thing!! also,, the weather conditons may not be allowing for proper pollination!!