kuntrygal
Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 3436
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| Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 11:02 pm Post subject: What causes bloom drop? |
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My son has tomato plants that have thrived, green, 5 feet tall. They develope blooms, but they drop never making tomatoes. Same with the pepper plants. The mater plants have made a few, but by the time they start turning, the birds have had their way with the maters. What are the plants deficient in?
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Gaylyn ~ 2277 ~
"I'm so far behind, I thought I was first"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to dance in the rain"
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daisybeans
annapolis md
Posts: 3675
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| Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Gaylyn! My tomatoes were doing that earlier and Gardenmama suggested using Epsom Salts (lots of magnesium) to help with flower production and holding the flower until fruit sets. I took that advice. I also shook the plants to increase pollination... and increased feeding to weekly, alternating fish emulsion and miracle grow. Something helped -- lots more flowers and toamtoes...
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Daisybeans/MaryAnn
"Once the relation between poetry and the soil is well established in the mind, all growing things are endowed with more than material beauty." -Elizabeth Lawrence
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Sjoerd
West - Friesland
Posts: 6915
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:17 am Post subject: |
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Some causes of blossom drop in toms are:
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
Blossom drop in peppers can be caused by:
temperatures go below 60 degrees at night
temperature go above 80 degrees during the day
a lack of water at the time of blooming
It is very difficult to give you a specific answer (or just one, simple answer) on this since I can't actually see the plants in question, but hopefully these possibilities may ring a bell with your son and he can take steps to correct the problem.
I will only say that when I have had blossom drop in the past, it was due to incorrect daytime or night time temps. I found a way to regulate it and have not had a problem since.
I always use a Magnesium Sulfate spray once a week on the plants and I find that I get nice, crisp peppers and lovely toms. I have never found any university proven data to support the notion that Mag. Sulfate spray has anything to do with the setting of fruits on peppers or toms...but when I regulate the temp and use MgSo4 spray, I get good yields--you have already seen piccies of my toms, and I will soon show the peppers when they are large enough to harvest.
I hope your son can get a handle on this problem before it too late.
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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html
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kuntrygal
Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 3436
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 3:44 am Post subject: |
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Thanks DB (and GM) and Sjoerd I will pass this information on. His cukes are doing fine. Said he has probably given away 30 lbs of them to a man at work. And what he can't use, he told Steve he gives to neighbors. Canteloupes are blooming. Maybe I will get a couple of those! I like the cukes, but they don't like me!  Thanks again.
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Gaylyn ~ 2277 ~
"I'm so far behind, I thought I was first"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to dance in the rain"
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