My tomatoes are not producing any fruit. What’s wrong? CO

Tomatoes are kind of the prima-donnas of the garden. Unless everything is just right, they won’t produce fruit. For better or worse we had a cooler spring, then rain for a couple of weeks, and then we jumped straight to August weather in June. The problem you are asking about is likely something called blossom drop.

Blossom drop occurs when temperatures are above 90 degrees for a period of time during the day or nighttime temperatures are not between 55 degrees and 70 degrees. Under these circumstances, the plants become stressed, and this stress inhibits pollination. It’s called blossom drop because the blossoms which are rendered sterile by the heat just drop to the ground. Excessive nitrogen can also cause this, but with the weather we have been having, it is likely blossom drop.

Since we don’t have control over the outside temperature, when it’s hot like this our task becomes to keep the plants hydrated and healthy until the temperatures drop a little bit and then tomato plants tend to start producing again.

Tomatoes like to be watered consistently and in the proper amounts. Tomatoes typically need about an inch of water a week but when it’s been hot like it has been, you should plan on about 2 inches of water a week. Sometimes that won’t even be enough. You’ll just have to watch them and let them tell you how much water they need because it obviously depends on how much sun they get and your soil conditions.

When your tomatoes have fruit in extreme heat, they may only get to a yellow-orange color while on the vine. If your tomatoes just seem to mark time in this phase of development, you can go ahead and pick them, bring them in, put them on the kitchen counter, and let them ripen there. Once they ripen you can put them in your refrigerator to extend their life.

Try to be consistent with your watering because irregular watering can cause another condition called blossom end rot. An abundance of rain can also bring about blossom end rot. The symptoms of blossom end rot start to show up typically when the fruits are about halfway to maturity. The first signs of blossom end rot will be a small, tan colored, kind of water-soaked area at the blossom end of the fruit (the end opposite the stem). This spot continues to get bigger and possibly sunken and kind of tough. Once tomatoes are affected by blossom end rot, there’s not going back. You can cut off the ugly part and eat the rest, but this damaged area really opens the fruit up to rotting.

There are lots of remedies for blossom end rot on the internet that promise results, but the reality is, once the ground dries out and watering becomes more regular, the condition will not be present on new tomatoes.

Blossom end rot happens in a variety of vegetables including squash and peppers. So, if you see it on your tomatoes, you likely have it on the as well also. Good luck.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.

Photo: Oklahoma State University Agricultural Communications Services