Nothing says summertime like a sweet, juicy, unforgettable garden tomato fresh from the vine. Unfortunately, there are many things between planting and pollinating that can go wrong, preventing those remarkable fruits from growing. Whenever your tomato produces yellow flowers which dry up before fruits start to form, your plant is undergoing blossom dip, a difficulty brought on by adverse environmental problems.
Temperature
Temperature influences flowers more than another single contributor to blossom drop. When daytime temperatures are above 85 degrees Fahrenheit or night temperatures exceed 72 F, flowers will frequently spontaneously abort. The more tomato crops are subjected to very high temperatures, the more the result will last. If you continue to water and feed these plants, then they will set fruit when temperatures boost. Adding mulch may help keep roots cooler.
Pollination Failure
Tomato plants experiencing ideal temperatures frequently fail to put flowers if pollinators in the region are not coming to the plants. This may happen if you spray your lawn using a broad-spectrum insecticide, killing those valuable pollinators, or if there are no pollinators in the region. Wind pollination does occur in tomatoes, but it is far less efficient. You can help the plant pollinate itself by gently shaking the divisions between 10:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon on dry, sunny days. Fruits place best when nighttime temperatures have been in the 60s.
Nitrogen Imbalances
Nitrogen is essential to plant growth, but tomatoes are especially sensitive to levels in their land before fruit set. Too little nitrogen and your tomato flowers may abort or not completely develop, since the plant can not produce sufficient food to support a crop. Too much nitrogen is just as bad, though, because it encourages plants to grow too quickly and produce an abundance of leaves to the detriment of the several flowers which may develop during these growth spurts. Always test the soil’s nitrogen amount when you’ll be planting tomatoes and provide the appropriate amount of fertilizer based on evaluation results.
Other Factors
Other problems in the environment have been implicated in blossom drop, such as reduced light intensity and airborne allergens. Rumors should be planted in full sunlight, but it is difficult to control the air quality. Select tomatoes that neighbors and friends have had great luck with if your region is prone to problems with smog for a better likelihood of succeeding.
Blossom Drop Resistant Plants
Many tomato crops can be found which are more tolerant of warm weather and defy blossom drop better. Heating varieties, both heirloom and hybrid may be a solution if your lawn experiences persistent problems with blossom drop. Try “Arkansas Traveler,” “Bella Rosa Hybrid,” “Costoluto Genovese,” “Florida 91 Hybrid,” “Homestead 24,” “Solar Fire Hybrid,” “Sioux,” “Talladaga Hybrid” or “Top Gun Hybrid.”