Non flowering heirloom tomatoes

[sourland]

Out of 14 heirloom tomato plants 3 are non flowering/non fruiting. Occasionally I have had one like this - generally a Mr Stripey, but this year there are 3 including a Mortgage Lifter. Anyone have ideas about this ?

 

[IamRainey]

Are they adjacent? Are they, perhaps getting too much water? In soil that's especially high in nitrogen? Either will produce a lot of foliage and discourage blossoms.

I made the mistake of planting one year in a spot that was vacated by a newly broken down compost pile. I reasoned that when the season was over I'd just draw a new container around the vine and not have to even pull it up. GREAT soil! I got a total of ONE tomato from the abundant and verdant green vine.

Tomatoes like a little tough love.

 

[sourland]

Plants are actually planted in beds around the house. Non fruiting plants are interspersed with plants that are producing, and all are treated the same. Heirloom tomatoes are non determinate so continue growing until frost killed so there is always lots of foliage. I fertilize at planting and then very frequently thereafter.

 

[ShannonR]

I had to back off on the water to get mine to flower this year. Then, they all got blossom end rot anyway so I just stopped watering them altogether.

 

[sourland]

It's actually been a good year, and the fruiting plants are still loaded with and setting more tomatoes. I should have enough to 'store' to get me through December. I am no longer able to eat 'store bought' tomatoes since switching to the heirloom plants. Only lost one plant to fusarium wilt this year.

 

[so lucky]

I had a problem with tomatoes this year, too. Varieties that did well last year did very bad this year. I had two Big Beef that produced like crazy, but the rest didn't. I'm sure you know that for flowers to be pollinated, the temp has to be within a certain range. Too hot at night and there will be no fruiting during that time. I guess it's possible that different varieties have a wider or narrower range of optimum temps. Also, too little phosphorous can limit flower production.
Honestly, there are so many variables to consider when wondering why something didn't work, I am always amazed when I get a good crop of anything.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

What are you fertilizing with? Check the N-P-K count. If the fertilize is high in nitrogen, that will cause more foliage, but less production. Try spraying your plants with blossom hormone to encourage them.

 

[sourland]

Still picking tomatoes. We have had one slight and one major frost. Plants are close to the house and most were not harmed. One of the 'non fruiting' plants produced 1 large and beautiful fruit.

 

[ShannonR]

I yanked all of my tomatoes except the pear tomato. Tired of fighting the blossom end rot. Yanked both yellow squash and all the cucumbers. One zucchini plant still in ground and producing small fruit. I have chives, Swiss chard and peas planted for fall so far.

Interestingly, my watermelons finally started producing early this month. Guess they needed cooler weather or something. Have 4 watermelons ripening now.

 

[sourland]

We are expecting a hard freeze tonight. I'm not complaining as we are long overdue. I picked 44 tomatoes and moved them to the cellar for ripening. What will I ever do for lunch when my tomatoes run out ?