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Garden Gate:  Tomatoes?  |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 06:49:28 AM
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I planted about 20 Tomato bushes this year. They are big and beautiful plants right now. My problem is they do not have hardly any fruit on them and not to many blooms. I have been putting liquid miracle grow on them which i have never done before. I did this because my neighbor uses this liquid fertilizer and had the most tomatoes last year on his plants. I have not seen to many bees this year also. I wonder which is the problem. My plants are usually loaded with Tomatoes by now. Out of the 20 plants I have only 4 tomatoes so far. I wonder should I cut out the liquid fertilizer or be more patient?
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 07:30:52 AM
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I don't know but I am sure jealous. I use manure on mine. And when I plant I put some real rich manurey soil in the hole. Then later I put goat manure around the plants. I also have a bucket of goat poop that has been getting rained on that is making some really good manure tea. I am going to be putting some on each of my plants when they are a bit bigger. I have used MG in the past with good results. It could be that there are no bees to pollinate the plants. I hardly saw any bees last year til fall. And I hardly had any corn and not many tomatoes. We need some bee hives, I think. And put them in the gardens.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
Edited by - kristin sherrill on Apr 20 2011 07:31:39 AM |
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Melina
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Melina
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 07:50:06 AM
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Don't worry about not seeing bees. Tomatoes are self-pollinating and a gentle breeze is enough to push the pollen down into the flower where it's needed. You might be applying too much fertilizer at this point, so I'd cut back a bit. Too much nitrogen and tomatoes just make big, lush plants. I do envy your early spring start. I can't plant frost tender things until mid-May!
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 09:45:38 AM
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The liquid fertilizer always make mine bush, but not flower. I totally stop fertilizing when it's time to start gettin flowers. Some varieties are very sensitive to over fertilization and will actually drop all flower buds due to it. I give a very light side dressing in the summer, but I keep it really light.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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rebekahj
True Blue Farmgirl
128 Posts
Rebekah
Santa Cruz
CA
USA
128 Posts |
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rebekahj
True Blue Farmgirl
128 Posts
Rebekah
Santa Cruz
CA
USA
128 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 12:02:45 PM
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I said that backwards... Actually, too much nitrogen encourages the plant to grow more foliage, not more fruit.
Urban-Farmgirl Sister #2173
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 4:53:12 PM
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Dorinda,
Are they bush tomatoes? If they are then they are what is called "determinate" tomatoes. They have a specified number of leaves and fruits. "Indeterminate tomatoes have unlimited leaves and fruits, they are the kind you can prune off suckers to get more fruit. I think that too much fertilizer can cause bush "determinate" tomatoes to put all that good stuff into making leaves instead of flowers. I always grow "indeterminate tomatoes and prune them off all their suckers. They look pretty bare but give me tons of tomatoes.
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
Happy to be a "Raggedy Ann" in a Barbie World!
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
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sissarge
True Blue Farmgirl
502 Posts
Linda
Montgomery
Texas
USA
502 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 8:41:09 PM
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| Can I ask a question that is about tomatoes, but not the regular kind. These are tomatillos, my plants are about 21/2 to 3 ft tall, and full of blooms, and full of little green lanterns, that are empty of fruit, does anyone else have this problem. this is my first time raising them. I have 2 plants, as I understand you need 2 or more. But when does the fruit come? I have looked in google and find nothing or I am not at the right spot. Can you girls help? Farmgirl #946 Linda |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 04:45:04 AM
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Linda,
I have had tomatillos for the past couple of years. The first year, I did not fertilize and had what you are describing. The second year, I DID fertilize and they filled out with the fruit. Also, it seems to take a long time for them to fill out, usually not until later in the summer. Hope some of this helps!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
www.calicocandy.etsy.com
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Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 08:03:31 AM
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Be careful about using too much Miracle Gro. It is loaded with phosphouros and will give your tomatoes end rot.
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Nanniekim
True Blue Farmgirl
206 Posts
Kim
Arizona
206 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 5:12:58 PM
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I was told not to fertilize tomatoes until they blossom or you will get bushy plants and not much fruit.
Kim |
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sissarge
True Blue Farmgirl
502 Posts
Linda
Montgomery
Texas
USA
502 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 7:41:23 PM
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| Thanks farmgirls, I was sshowing my daughter the plants of tomatillos and she felt one and there is a little knot in there. So I am guessing they grow to fill the little lanterns. I have not fertilized, I try to keep my garden as organic as possible. I do however every other year, purchase some mushroom mulch from the mushroom company, and till it into my garden. My chickens keep the bugs off. Thanks so much for your help, blessings on your gardens, We counted about 82 baby squash on 8 plants, wow!, Thanks again, Linda |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 7:42:07 PM
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Diane yes they are bush Tomatoes. Okay Big Beef Hybrid, Big Boy Oh my Gosh I for get what the other ones were. Comes with age!! From listening to you girls I think I will cut out the liquid fertilizer. I have always had good luck with my Tomatoes so it has to be the liquid fertilizer. I had one plant last year that produced 77 Tomatoes on one bush. I did not do much at all to it so makes me really wonder about this fertilizer theory. Thanks so much for the advice.
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
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knitnpickinatune
True Blue Farmgirl
1140 Posts
Sherrie
Gardena
California
USA
1140 Posts |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2011 : 1:29:03 PM
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Yes Sherrie, I tried one of them a couple of years ago. I was not to impressed with it. I would not ever use it again. But now if I had limited space for a garden like if I lived in a apartment or something I might use one but to me it did not do that great. Hey but some things are not for everyone. Don't let me sway you from trying one.
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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Garden Gate: Tomatoes? |
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Tomatoes?
