Shrivelling tomato flowers

[Nelly]

Anyone know why my apparently healthy and cheerful yellow tomato flowers are turning brown, shrivelling up and showing absolutely no sign of toms whatsoever?

[Hilary B]

Nope. A few of mine are doing that. I just remove the failed ones whenever I am de-sideshooting. Plenty left in my tomato-jungle, although nothing 'turning' colour yet.....

[Flummery]

I suspect they're too warm. The earlier ones set fruit well but just this last few days when it's been propper summer weather they've aborted. If they're in a greenhouse, open up anything openable and damp down the floor whenever you can. Might help.

[Alice]

I suspect they are frying Nellie. Are they in the greenhouse ? What's the temp in there ? Tomatoes really want it between 18 and 25. More than that is too hot.
If this is the problem you can shade the greenhouse with old curtains etc, open everything you can and damp down by wetting the floor. Hot and humid is much less damaging than hot and dry. You can also spray your tomatoes with water, this can help the fruit to set. Good luck.

[Nelly]

They're on the edge of and alongside my water butt, outside in North Cumbria - no glass in sight! If I'd thought it was warmer inside then they'd be in there (but my house is rather dark and very cold so thought they'd fare better outside; and I don't have a greenhouse). Not sure that it's been that hot outside. My grass skirt and hula-hula outfit haven't had much of an airing this summer, though admittedly it's been wonderful the past couple of days. Flowers have been poorly for a while though.

[Flummery]

Keep tapping the stems. This releases the pollen to fall on the receptor. It all takes place inside the anther cone - sticking out of the flower - so you can help things along by ensuring the pollen falls down.