Tomatoes not setting fruit

[garygc2008]

I'm growing pomodoro Costoluto Genovese beefsteak toms this year in 3 different locations and none have set a single fruit. I sowed may ( maybe a bit later than others? ) but shouldn't they at least be doing more than flowing and dying right now?

[terrier]

Yes they should by now unless you are trying to grow them outside, in which case the weather is too wet and cold for them. I tried growing Costuluto outside last year and although the plants looked healthy enough, I got no fruit. This year they are in the greenhouse and are looking fine but are very thirsty plants and are taking up loads of water.

[Stacey Steve]

I've got Moneymaker, Sub Arctic, Harlequin & Gardener's Choice all growing outside and Moneymaker & Gardener's Choice inside and I haven't had a single flower set yet. I've even put some pots of Marigolds outside the tunnel hoping to attract some bees.

Obviously the bees have placed me on a black list and I'm being embargoed.

[SarzWix]

Temperature and correct moisture levels are critical to get the first fruit to set, I find. Once the first have set fruit, the rest seem to folow fairly easily! Are the plants in pots, or in the ground? If they're in pots, and you have one, you should move them into the greenhouse, or bring them indoors overnight maybe? If they're in the ground, or can't be moved, try putting fleece around the plants (use a couple of canes or something either side of the plants to stop the fleece from resting on the plants while raining/wet.)

[Mike and Louise]

Our MoneyMaker also isn't doing well.
Ours is in an unheated greenhouse and so far, even though there are loads of flowers, only one has a small green tom on it.

We don't see ourselves eating many toms this year lol.

[Alice]

I've got Tigerella, Gardeners delight, Red Cherry and Ildi all growing outside and all bearing fruit. Ildi is doing best so far with absolutely huge trusses of fruit.
I was worried I would be short of bees for pollination as I moved here recently and there's not much to attract them but the have turned up and done their work round all the toms and courgettes. The cucumber I'm not so sure about. The fruit doesn't seem to be growing well. Maybe some sun shine would help.
I hope you get something from your toms, Gary.

[armadillo]

I seem to be getting 3 or 4 toms setting on each truss with the plants in the conservatory, but last year most of the flowers were turning into toms so maybe there just isn't enough sun this year? I also have a hanging basket variety flowering profusely outside, so I'm hoping that those will do better. I'm feeding them all weekly with bog-standars tomato feed, but have also mulched with manure.

[terrier]

Our MoneyMaker also isn't doing well.
Ours is in an unheated greenhouse and so far, even though there are loads of flowers, only one has a small green tom on it.

We don't see ourselves eating many toms this year lol.

It's still early yet for tomatoes unless conditions are right and you got them in early. If your plants are in the greenhouse with lots of flowers then you should get lots of tomatoes. I think I'll move to Scotland as there seems to be better conditions up there, I think Alice should give us some tips on tomato growing.

[Kristen]

I don't reckon you need bees to pollinate Toms - although I expect it helps.

I gently knock the canes supporting the plants to dislodge the pollen - harder to describe than to do! Its a bit like drumming your fingers on the desk, except done vertically on the supporting cane. The greenhouse immediately starts to smell of the Tomato Pollen.

If its very dry then spraying [with water] may help the flowers set (or watering down the greenhouse floor), and if the temperature is very hot they won't set. I doubt you have either of those problems at the moment, I certainly haven't!

I am only opening the vents on my greenhouse a very small amount - enough to allow hot air to rise and exit through the vents - I leave the door open a couple of inches so some cooler air can come in at the bottom (better still is to use a louvre window if you have one low down on the greenhouse)

What I am meaning is that I am trying to prevent a draft, as I think a drying breeze stresses the plants when the weather is "inclement", but obviously don't let the greenhouse get too hot during the day.

I shut up the house around 5 or 6 PM (but my greenhouse is catching some shade from trees by then, so it won't continue to heat up) so that the heat is kept in for the evening / night.

If they are outside then I can't help, I don't know naught about outdoor Toms ...

[Cutecumber]

The larger tomatoes often drop their flowers - my Brandywine and Big Boy do it every year. Mine are grown outside.

I find that fruits will set in the end, but they will be later than all the other varieties. This is why some of the larger tomatoes can be best off under cover where they can have a longer season. I don't grow tomatoes in the greenhouse because the temperatures get astronomically high. I find they all bear fruit outside, eventually.

Remember that tomatoes are sub-tropical in origin and can struggle in our cool short summers. Always get the big ones going as early as you can.

[rayj]

My Tumblers have a lot of flowers and have produced quite a few fruit (now waiting to ripen). I have Shirley, Gardeners Delight and Alicante in the Greenhouse and they are slowly producing fruit. One of the Shirley hse one good truss of fruit formed. If I knew how to attach a pic, I would.

[garygc2008]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I have the plants in 3 locations ( some outside in the garden, 2 in an unheated plastic GH and about 12 on allotment, but none set yet. Even 3 other varieties. Oh well. Guess i'll just keep you all posted. Cougettes growing out of me ears, no toms. oh well, you get what you get i guess.

[gemlady]

I've growing Moneymaker, and have a lot of flowers and some fruit. The first one that came on the vine is turning colour, but it's still only the size of a cherry tomato, I thought they grew to normal size.

[rustylady]

I've got Moneymaker, Sub Arctic, Harlequin & Gardener's Choice all growing outside and Moneymaker & Gardener's Choice inside and I haven't had a single flower set yet. I've even put some pots of Marigolds outside the tunnel hoping to attract some bees.

You don't need bees or any other insects to pollinate tomatoes. Just tap or shake the plants a couple of times a day. If you look closely you will see the pollen dropping from the flowers, and this will set the fruit. I suspect the problem is growing conditions, rather than pollination. If the plants are too dry then any embryo fruit will fall off rather than grow to maturity.

[Alice]

Terrier, I can't give you any tips on tomato growing. I've just been dead lucky with the weather and a good south facing wall to grow them against.