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Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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Posted by eileen_gardener (My Page) on Sun, Jul 8, 07 at 23:33
| I have a problem with my balcony tomatoes that I have never heard of before and that other people I have asked have never heard of. I have about 6 or 7 different tomato plants, all different, but the one I am having trouble with is either a beefsteak or a brandywine (I lost the name of it, I just think it is one of those because of the leaves). My plant is healthy and flowers come, but when the flower is nice and solid and healthy and about ready to drop the entire head, from about a 1/4 inch back on the stem, just breaks off. The stem is nice and healthy and green and strong, it doesn't go brown or thin, it just seems to break off and shows the white underneath the green. What have I done or am doing that is wrong? The plant looks healthy, the flower looks healthy, and they are all breaking off in exactly the same spot - a 1/4 inch along the stem from the flower. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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| I had the same problem until I started buzzing the base of the flowers with my electric toothbrush. Brandywines seem to need a little help releasing their pollen, and you aren't getting pollination so the flowers fall off. |
RE: Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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| Agree with Patty... Sounds like blossom drop. That can happen due to temperatures that are either too cool or too hot or too high humidity. Certain tomato varieties like the Brandywines, seem more sensitive to these conditions. Definitely try flicking, shaking or buzzing the blossoms when you see them almost ready to open or when just opening to try to get some pollination going. |
RE: Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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| Buzzing with an electric toothbrush didn't work. I've just been out on my balcony and the heads have started to fall off again. I buzzed them about twice a day on July 16 and for the next few days, and then once a day for a couple of days more. I did it very gently, but a few days ago I saw the breaks starting and yesterday they flower heads started falling off. |
RE: Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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| Post question on Tomato Forum for additonal options. It certainly appears the the above comments should have assisted in pollenation. I'm growing a several tomato plants in house this winter and experienced blossom drop until I assisted the plants with virbration. Now have my cherry tomatoes starting to grow. |
RE: Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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| I'm a hydro grower and it sounds like your tomatoes need extra calcium! There is something called "Blossom End Drop" which is similar and that too is caused by a lack of calcium. Hope that helps. |
RE: Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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| ^ What he said. This is a frequent occurrence for people growing tomatoes in-ground here in s. Oregon. Usually if you're using potted soils, it's not an issue unless you're re-using the soil each year, or the soil you had was lacking in calcium to begin with. Depending on the soil's molecular make up, you sometimes add lime to it (to make it simple, lime bonds with excess Hydrogen floating around, makes Calcium, magnesium, and turns the rest to water and carbon dioxide). Or add things like egg shell / oyster shell to a compost pile if you're using one. Takes awhile to break down, but does eventually. |
RE: Tomatoes - flower heads breaking off
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| My tomato plant is very healthy and i have alot of flowers on it but the stem is breaking off 1/8 of an inch what am i doing wrong it is a patio plant |
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