What's wrong with my tomato plants?

[CrazyConure]

Im wondering why they are only producing 7-8 fruits max per plant. One of my plants (Florida 91) only has 3 tomatoes; and I live in Florida!!

I know I'm doing something wrong here. The soil I use is a potting mix. My containers are 5 gal. I have determinate plants. Indeterminate plants only give about 3 fruits.

I have a bunch of pictures. I hope someone can tell me what's wrong. It's really humid and hot here. It's been raining nonstop too. I'm a bit disappointed because I thought I was doing everything right.

Just a FYI: the tomato plant in the small container was just put in there just now. It is honestly the worst looking one I got.

 

[Chuck]

Im wondering why they are only producing 7-8 fruits max per plant. One of my plants (Florida 91) only has 3 tomatoes; and I live in Florida!!

I know I'm doing something wrong here. The soil I use is a potting mix. My containers are 5 gal. I have determinate plants. Indeterminate plants only give about 3 fruits.

I have a bunch of pictures. I hope someone can tell me what's wrong. It's really humid and hot here. It's been raining nonstop too. I'm a bit disappointed because I thought I was doing everything right.

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Just a FYI: the tomato plant in the small container was just put in there just now. It is honestly the worst looking one I got.

Do you see that most if not all of your tomatoes are at the bottom of the plant? Why is that? The answer is that the temperature is too warm at NIGHT for the blooms to set fruit. They will only reliably set fruit between 66F-74F NIGHTTIME low temps and that is only IF the blooms are ready physically to set fruit. And determinate plants, at least mine, seem to have a preconditioned number of blooms per plant. I used to think that the earlier I planted the more I would get but I found that not to be true. The secret is to plant your plants at the optimum time and that means you have to have a good idea of what the weather is going to do. Nobody said tomato growing was simple and easy.

 

[zigs]

You gotta shake em too, shake em like a polaroid picture.

Helps set the fruit.

 

[CrazyConure]

Hmm. That does make sense. What times do you think it's good for me to grow tomatoes? Where can I find out floridas schedule?

 

[CrazyConure]

I searched the web and did find the schedule. It says August-March. I guess that makes more sense on why I am not getting anything really right now. Thanks so much!

 

[Chuck]

I searched the web and did find the schedule. It says August-March. I guess that makes more sense on why I am not getting anything really right now. Thanks so much!

That is the same as me. I just started seeds for my fall garden. I will transplant around the last of July or 1st of August. For a spring garden I will start seeds about the middle of January and set them out the last of March or maybe a tad earlier. You will not get anymore tomatoes. All you will get, if any more, will only be very small tough skinned tomatoes, not worth growing. Start your new plants now and as soon as the tomatoes you have now are ripe, pull up the plants and get rid of them and prepare your soil for new plants.

 

[CrazyConure]

How do I prepare my soil? I use containers only. I do have a rather large compost bin.

Edit, forgot to say: thank you for the advice. This personal, one on one advice is not available everywhere. I appreciate you telling me what you have learned through trial and error. Thank you.

 

[Chuck]

How do I prepare my soil? I use containers only. I do have a rather large compost bin.

Edit, forgot to say: thank you for the advice. This personal, one on one advice is not available everywhere. I appreciate you telling me what you have learned through trial and error. Thank you.

There isn't much to preparing the soil. After you pull your plants just dump the soil into your compost pile. Add a little fertilizer and molasses, let it sit for a month or so and reuse it. Soil never wears out when organic methods are employed. If you are worried about early blight in the soil there is nothing you can do. Even buying new soil will not help because it is wind born. Just take care of what you have and improve on it in any way you can. In a year or two you will be astounded at what you can grow.

 

[roadrunner]

You say it's been raining a lot, but have you allowed your plants to stay out in the rain? I would limit the time the plants are in the rain, since they are in relatively small containers (and a little mulch would probably help).

How much direct sun do they get per day? I've discovered that my tomato plants do better when they have less than 6-8 hours of direct sun. Counter-intuitive, but that's the Florida sun that we have to deal with.

 

[CrazyConure]

Thanks!

I just put my unoccupied container soil in the compost bin. I added molasses to it. It looks really good.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks!

I just put my unoccupied container soil in the compost bin. I added molasses to it. It looks really good.

If you plan to plant seeds use unused potting mix. This is because of the fertilizer in your old soil. Make your compost rich in nutrients. This will really pay off when it is used again.

 

[headfullofbees]

That is the same as me. I just started seeds for my fall garden. I will transplant around the last of July or 1st of August. For a spring garden I will start seeds about the middle of January and set them out the last of March or maybe a tad earlier. You will not get anymore tomatoes. All you will get, if any more, will only be very small tough skinned tomatoes, not worth growing. Start your new plants now and as soon as the tomatoes you have now are ripe, pull up the plants and get rid of them and prepare your soil for new plants.

In Greece and Cyprus, they cut down tomato plants to the ground, when the summer gets too hot for fruit production, and they produce again in the autumn?.
Have you had any tomatoes you'd really like to keep?
By the way, the "Avalantino" tomatoes we discussed seem to be doing really well, and have the bottom 2/3 trusses now making fruit; hopefully have the first of them in approx. 2-3 weeks.
They'll be too late for your fall garden, but if I have no problems, & think they're worth it, I'll update you on flavour and productiveness, and, if you like, send you some seeds which you can try next January.

 

[Chuck]

In Greece and Cyprus, they cut down tomato plants to the ground, when the summer gets too hot for fruit production, and they produce again in the autumn?.
Have you had any tomatoes you'd really like to keep?
By the way, the "Avalantino" tomatoes we discussed seem to be doing really well, and have the bottom 2/3 trusses now making fruit; hopefully have the first of them in approx. 2-3 weeks.
They'll be too late for your fall garden, but if I have no problems, & think they're worth it, I'll update you on flavour and productiveness, and, if you like, send you some seeds which you can try next January.

I used to cut my tomato plants almost to the ground but in the heat of summer, the early blight and spider mites I just gave up on it. I find it much more productive here to just plant new seeds and not have to worry about much except the heat. My tomatoes this year produced a lot but is now coming to a close. I would estimate they will all be gone by July 15. Strange isn't it? Yours just beginning and mine just ending at the same time.