Hello all.
The flowers on my tomatoes are, in the main, just dropping off without any fruit setting. I have been hand pollinating with a small fine brush which has worked in previous years. Does any one know why this is happening and how I can prevent the rest going the same way?
Regards
Bluecar
Conditions might be too dry and the pollen is being blown off before it does its business.
Try spraying / misting the flowers with clean water and this should help with the pollination!
Thanks Tee Gee.
I will try that, but the plants are in a greenhouse which is relatively sheltered from the wind.
Blossom drop can be attributed to several causes, most often related to either temperature and / or stress.
Temperature Too High or Too Low
Lack of Pollination
Nitrogen - Too Much or Too Little
Humidity Too High or Low Humidity.
Lack of water
Stress from insect damage or disease
Too Heavy Fruit Set
Quote from: Tee Gee on June 01, 2014, 14:45:33
Conditions might be too dry and the pollen is being blown off before it does its business.
Try spraying / misting the flowers with clean water and this should help with the pollination!
I agree with Tee Gee conditions in your green house too dry in hot weather dampen the floor of the green house to create a humid condition and spray fine mist on the flowers
you do not need to hand pollinate, just give the stem a gentle tap
Thanks for your comments.
I've started to spray them. Hopefully the newer trusses will have a better setting rate.
This causes blossom drop:
High daytime temperatures (above 85 F / 29 C)
High Nighttime Temperatures (above 70 / 21 C)
Low Nighttime Temperatures (below 55 / 13 C)
Also the tomato flower has thingamjigs that i can't really be bothered to look up the real name of just now that are fused into a funnel, making them, in most cases, an obligate self-pollinator. GH toms don't get the breeze often to shake the flowers enough to self-pollinate, hence the need to "tap the canes" to simulate it.
The pollen bits are called anthers.
I've had issues with some of the early first trusses not setting, here it has been the really rainy and cold weather affecting tomato set. The damp cool air has been prevented the pollen from releasing properly. When the weather improved a little, I noticed lots of lovely baby toms starting to appear :icon_cheers: