blossom drop

encore · July 20, 2017

can anyone tell why just the sungold plant is losing blossoms? I look but I can't seem to tell where they come from, all I see are little fruits starting, lol I know on larger fruit it dries up and then falls off the end of the fruit, kind of puzzling, thanks tom

imp · July 20, 2017

Probably not fertilized, try giving your plants a little shake or flick the blossoms lightly with your fingers. If it is in the 90's temp wise, that my also be the cause.

SharonRossy · July 20, 2017

I am no expert, but is this only happening on SunGold? My sungold had a late start this year vs other varieties. Any chance that it's in a location that is getting bumped into or knocked around by winds or you or some critter? that much blossom drop could mean it's not getting pollinated possibly, I'll leave that to the experts but I do know that when I'm tying up or whatever, the sungold is more susceptible to dropping it's blossoms. seems a bit more fragile than my other tomato varieties.

zipcode · July 21, 2017

Those look like petals from pollinated flowers to me. They done their job, they're being discarded. 2 of those do look kinda young, but sometimes the plant sets so well just when opening the flower, that the petals are being discarded quickly.

Ricky Shaw · July 21, 2017

It's better to put the Sungold in a protected slot. They got big and wild last year, and that's what stuck out in my mind when I put them on the corners of the patch. Now they get bumped and I'm constantly knocking toms and blossoms off. Adjustments, wrong turns corrected, that's what gardening is.

bower · July 21, 2017

There are two whole flowers on the right side of the pic and this I would call "blossom drop" - heat and in some cases cold appear to be the number one causes. Heat above 95 F kills the pollen and the whole flower will drop off at the joint.

The other 'blossoms' in the pic are just petals. And I would call it 'petal drop'. And this is normal after setting. Some varieties drop their petals freely and soon after setting, as in your picture. Others - and especially common in beef types and bigger fruited types - the petals don't fall unless or until they are pushed off by the growing fruit, and by that time they are grey or brown and dried up as you described.

It is a genetic trait, and you will find it varies by variety. Personally, where mold and moldy weather is often an issue, I consider it an important trait and a plus if the petals drop readily as soon as the fruit has set. It reduces the risk of mold developing at the blossom end of fruit.

gorbelly · July 22, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by bower

There are two whole flowers on the right side of the pic and this I would call "blossom drop"

I've had whole blossoms fall off like that but still set fruit. Particularly on cherry plants. As zipcode says, sometimes it's just that the blossoms were pollinated successfully early.

On larger-fruited plants, sometimes those whole flowers that drop off produce tiny nubs that don't grow for a long time if ever. But that rarely happens on cherry tomatoes.

UFXEFU · July 22, 2017

I always have a few dropped blossoms but just look at it as natures way of thinning. If all blossoms drop then there is a problem. I've never had it happen to my plants, but a dairy farmer friend said that he loaded his garden with lots of cow manure and all his tomato blooms dropped. He had nice healthy plants but no tomatoes. Too much nitrogen will cause blossom drop.

July 20, 2017	#2
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	Probably not fertilized, try giving your plants a little shake or flick the blossoms lightly with your fingers. If it is in the 90's temp wise, that my also be the cause.

July 20, 2017	#3
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	I am no expert, but is this only happening on SunGold? My sungold had a late start this year vs other varieties. Any chance that it's in a location that is getting bumped into or knocked around by winds or you or some critter? that much blossom drop could mean it's not getting pollinated possibly, I'll leave that to the experts but I do know that when I'm tying up or whatever, the sungold is more susceptible to dropping it's blossoms. seems a bit more fragile than my other tomato varieties.

July 21, 2017	#4
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Those look like petals from pollinated flowers to me. They done their job, they're being discarded. 2 of those do look kinda young, but sometimes the plant sets so well just when opening the flower, that the petals are being discarded quickly.

July 21, 2017	#5
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	It's better to put the Sungold in a protected slot. They got big and wild last year, and that's what stuck out in my mind when I put them on the corners of the patch. Now they get bumped and I'm constantly knocking toms and blossoms off. Adjustments, wrong turns corrected, that's what gardening is.

July 21, 2017	#6
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	There are two whole flowers on the right side of the pic and this I would call "blossom drop" - heat and in some cases cold appear to be the number one causes. Heat above 95 F kills the pollen and the whole flower will drop off at the joint. The other 'blossoms' in the pic are just petals. And I would call it 'petal drop'. And this is normal after setting. Some varieties drop their petals freely and soon after setting, as in your picture. Others - and especially common in beef types and bigger fruited types - the petals don't fall unless or until they are pushed off by the growing fruit, and by that time they are grey or brown and dried up as you described. It is a genetic trait, and you will find it varies by variety. Personally, where mold and moldy weather is often an issue, I consider it an important trait and a plus if the petals drop readily as soon as the fruit has set. It reduces the risk of mold developing at the blossom end of fruit.

July 22, 2017	#8
UFXEFU Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Gloster, Lousiana 71030 Zone 8a Posts: 253	I always have a few dropped blossoms but just look at it as natures way of thinning. If all blossoms drop then there is a problem. I've never had it happen to my plants, but a dairy farmer friend said that he loaded his garden with lots of cow manure and all his tomato blooms dropped. He had nice healthy plants but no tomatoes. Too much nitrogen will cause blossom drop.