Lots of Tomato Flowers but where are my Tomatoes?

[farmerpiper]

My tomato plants got plenty of blossoms but there are only very few tomatoes which have been formed. Is there such as thing as "sterile tomato plants"?

[wrigglerman]

Farmerpiper, I also experienced that and I found out that when temperatures usually get above 85 degrees tomato flowers don't develop into fruits.

See if your tomatoes will form new flowers which will turn into fruits when the weather eases a little.

[melissaanne4]

I have a similar problem that I can't understand. I have 2 different tomato plants in containers next to each other. One is a red cherry and one is a yellow grape variety. The Red plant is going strong and the yellow grape seems to be sterile! All flowers no fruit. No extreme temps either (we live in central NY) Any thoughts?

[TZ-OH5]

Several factors are involved. At high humidity pollen clumps and won't fall out onto the stigma, at high temperatures (warm nights and day temps in the 90s) pollen is inactivated. But this early in the season my flowers commonly stay around a long time before fruits appear because of low temps (it slows the fertilization process because pollen has to grow a tube down through the stigma to the ovules that they are going to fertilize) and lack of bees. In mid and late summer when the bees are active here tomato flowers generally fade after 3-4 days because they get pollinated right away. It takes longer when the flower has to wait to be jiggled just right by wind etc for pollen to be released.

[rosiethumb]

Perhaps there is too much fertilizer and the soil is very dry. Tomatoes need water ~ an inch or two~ every week. Tomato roots need to get soaked but foliage should not be wet especially in the evening, if possible.

[arianne]

I echo rosiethumb on too much fertilizer and dry soil. Won't hurt to try those methods to help.

Also, another likeliest reasons I could imagine why your tomatoes aren't setting fruit is because of the heat. Tomatoes won't turn their flowers into fruits when the temp's above 85 degrees.

On the other hand, if night temp is below 55 degrees F, the effect's about the same.

[garden ann]

I have also experienced blossom drops when nighttime temperatures fall below 55 degrees F, so I may have some tomatoes late in the season if ever temperatures improve by then.

Next year, I'm going to try planting tomatoes that will flower well before the peak of the heat season.

Or I might try the heat-tolerant varieties. But I'm not sure if they require the same management techniques with the ones I got now.

[mistermaster]

For tomatoes, temperatures above 85 degrees F may cause them to stop flowering. Without flowers, there won't be any fruit.

[John S.]

Perhaps your flowers drop prematurely. Gardeners often call this "blossom drop".

Common predisposing factors of blossom drop:

1. adverse weather conditions (rainy and cool/hot and dry)
2. magnesium deficiency

Remedy:

1. seaweed extract spray
2. apply epsom salts (rate: 2-3 tablespoons/plant)


Another thing:
--> when your garden soil has very high levels of nitrogen, there will be more foliage and less fruits

[SaraSK]

Originally Posted by farmerpiper

My tomato plants got plenty of blossoms but there are only very few tomatoes which have been formed. Is there such as thing as "sterile tomato plants"?

Could be that your tomato plants have not pollinated well to me. Though any of the other responses sound reasonable as well. It a fine art for sure to be a successful gardener!

[vermigiant]

Basically, tomatoes are of two types:

Indeterminate Type - grow tall and produce fruit for a longer period of time

Determinate Type - much shorter and produces fruit for only a shorter period
of time