16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

It will make normal blossoms without you having to do anything...the fused "mega blooms" are more of an aberration, though some varieties are more prone to produce them. It doesn't mean your plant is sick, just some environmental or genetic hiccup at the time the bud formed. I like seeing them from time to time.

The fruit that develops is just as edible and tasty as other fruits, just looks gnarly. So, cut it off if you don't want the fruit, or keep it if you do. The plant won't care either way! :) It's not really an issue unless you need "pretty" fruits for market or something.

So your other flowers on that plant isn't like that? Last year when I grew Black Krims, they all had big flowers like those.

Sue_ct

What I mean is that I must use what's on hand but I can spend a few more dollars to amend what I have. I have very little soil in the mix. About 3 gallons of potting mix that was left over from last year I have posted over in the container forum and I'm about to go check the new posts.

Thanks

If it's true potting mix, then there's probably little soil in it to begin with. Certain bagged cow manures can be heavy and dense, but i've had excellent luck using it in containers in the past, plants were darn huge with loads of fruit, no root rot etc.

Going by the dirt in your first pic, it certainly wouldn't hurt to add another 3 or 4 quarts of perlite, and a percentage of peat (peat bales are cheap) Whatever leftovers you have can be thrown into a plastic bag and saved for next year.

Those big plastic tubs with rope handles are great btw. Big Lots carries them for only $5. Most other places charge between $7~$10 for them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Big Lots Store Locator

You want a sucker about 5-6" tall so you can have a good 2" of bare stem to bury in the potting mix. As soon as one develops to that size on the plant you can remove it for rooting.

Dave

Thanks so much... at the rate the plants are growing I should be able to get something long enough in a couple of weeks. I appreciate the help.

Yeah, that storm was a doozy. I consider us lucky to have just lost a tomato plant. There are plenty of folks around the area with tarps on roofs.

Edie

Thanks both of you, I will keep an eye out.

Something is eating the blossoms off of my tomatoes. They look like they were cut with scissors. No bugs around. My tomatoes are 5 feet tall. Grasshoppers?

Thanks, Carolyn. Glad to see you posting again. My Daconil regimen starts tomorrow. We've had a ton of rain lately and not much sun. No surprise that the tomatoes aren't flourishing. In a month we'll be complaining about heat and drought, ha.

Gary

Hi Gary, I came back to tell you that you may want to look up 'Septoria' too. I have been going over leaf disease photos today b/c of my own issue and the photos of Septoria made me think of your post...

Maybe?

Hi Fusion Power, are you looking at my pictures or of Jadie's picture that is actually a photo of Botrytis a.k.a. gray mold?? My last photo shows a speck of very white mold (even more white in person). My first pic is of a very dark grey blemished leaf. Please let me know if you still think so.
Also, do you have any suggestions on how one can know the difference between Gray Mold and L.B. when evaluating plants? Thanks, Fusion Power!

Hi Jadie, I will keep an eye on my plants (can't even keep myself away from them now) and be back to let you know if I'm able to come to a solid conclusion/or not. I never thought I'd be muttering 'I hope this is Botrytis'...!

It's hard to tell. But I think it would have progressed quickly - by now your plant would be dying if it is really LB. I haven't seen gray mold on tomatoes before, but I've got some on my strawberries and it looks like the fruit/stems are covered with fine gray dust, as soon as you touch them you see the spores floating away. I don't see that in your pictures.

So tell us how are your plants today? Any stem lesions? A picture of the plant(s) and not just individual leaves would help.

I agree with Donna. As long as the soil mix is balanced, it's probably timing. My Cherokee purples have tons of fruit and blooms, but my Green Zebra didn't for a long time. Now, my GZ is all of a sudden starting to show a whole bunch of flowers. Oh, and nitrogen is not good before the first fruit set usually, indeed...

OK, I guess I'll just wait and see, then.
As for the Juliette tomatoes, I probably won't plant them again. The fruit isn't bad, but it isn't that great either.
Thanks.

super snow white

super sweet 100

C...lots of diverse comments here...I will not address my opinion on the "best" way to grow tomatoes. As to your specific problem...I think you probably answered your own question regarding the rain. Containers (depending on mix) will usually drain water faster. Thus, the containers are healthier now..with more aeration in the soil (very important). All should stabilize soon. Pray for sun.

I suspect is is differences in the soil and not the beds/container.

I also suggest you remove the wood chips. They do pull out nitrogen. Since your plants are yellow - I think you may have low nitrogen.

BTW - I have also had non stop rain and temps bellow 70 and my tomoatoes in raised beds look like your plants in the container. This is a new house for us and I am using two raised beds that the previous owner left and one I built myself. I did not know what shape the soil was in (though she was an awesome gardner - and it looked great). I filled my new bed with 2/3 ordinary soil and 1/3 compost and manure mix from Home Depot. I only fertilized about two weeks after planting because the weather has been so bad and cool.

This post was edited by Timmytoo on Sat, Jun 15, 13 at 12:52

No list of possible symptoms of overwatering?

That curling & twisting is herbicide damage. Likely 2,4-D. Could have been used anywhere in the vicinity, including down the block.

Thanks solanaceae! Your fact-based answer really helped me when considering spacing. I'll have to use stakes due to space issues, but regardless of the type of support thanks for concisely answering the issue of spacing!

I could only space them at 18", but feel better knowing that will work well.

Thanks solanaceae, your informative post has benefited many more (including the original poster). Most people forget that these posts are search-able vis google, and has much larger reach than just posters on this forum.