I am a new gardener to planting in pots on our deck. We have 28 tomato plants and all except four have blooms. Others have bloomed and now have nice tomatoes setting on. Why are four of the plants without any blooms at all? They are almost 5 ft. tall.
Hardiness Zone: 8a
By Marsha Fleenor from Greenville, NC
Are the 4 plants getting enough sun? I believe they need a good 8 hours of sun. Are some of the other plants shading them part of the day maybe? I have several tomato plants in 5 gallon buckets. Once they got so thick and tall I noticed they were actually blocking the sun from one another. I had to space mine out some.
How big are your containers? My extension office suggests 1 plant per 5 gallon container.
I have read that too much nitrogen causes no blooming. I'm sure you probably fertilize every plant the same though so that's probably no help.
I don't know much about the fertilizing part of it. I have always had great success with regular Miracle Gro granules.
You said you were a beginner, 24 out of 28 is great even for a pro, as far as I'm concerned.
Tracey in Jacksonville, FL (06/10/2009)
By Tracey Ihle
One thing that will keep your tomato and other blossoming plants from blooming is if it's been fed a high nitrogen fertilizer, if the first number on your fertilizer is a big number that's not good.
One way to remove some of the nitrogen is to work wood shavings or sawdust in the top couple of inches of soil, as it breaks down it takes nitrogen out of the soil and if you keep a thick layer of wood mulch under the plant it will hold moisture in bloom better.
(06/10/2009)
By Babette
Thank you, Babbie and TraceyI for your prompt replies. I do believe it's the sun because some are taller than the others. I will get them relocated. All are being fertilized the same.
When we went to get the plants, I only intended to try three or four. However, my husband got carried away with those little trays and some had two plants in each slot. He said they were cheaper to buy in the six-pack trays than individually so hence, we ended up with 28.
We finally came up with enough containers to set them out. We actually have four cheap ($1 Dollar Tree) tall, plastic clothes baskets as pots. He lined them with a small netting so the soil could not come through the basket. Of course, they weigh a ton now and can't be re-located very easily. I have those on the back deck so no one can see the clothes baskets as pots. I am amazed how all of them have grown not to be set out in a big ole garden like we had growing up in TN.
Happy gardening to those of us using containers on our decks/patios. Have a great harvest season.
Marsha (06/11/2009)
Too much nitrogen. All the energy goes into growing and greening the plant, and not into flowering and setting the fruit. (06/18/2009)
By emmamamie
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