Looking back at my plants this past season

Elliot · October 13, 2015

A problem we had is that most of my tomato plants did not really produce that much fruit. At this time of the year in prior years I would be picking green tomatoes and pickling them. I have many green plants that have maybe one tomato on them and some none. What could be the cause of this? Could it be the heat we had in the NY area?

Ed of Somis · October 13, 2015

could be....

Zenbaas · October 18, 2015

Maybe a phosphorous and Potassium deficiency..? Over abundance of nitrogen in the soil?

RJGlew · October 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot

...I would be picking green tomatoes and pickling them...

Hi Elliot, will you please disclose your picking mixes/method?

Thanks.

Elliot · October 18, 2015

could be . I used miracle grow potting soil

Sun City Linda · October 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot

could be . I used miracle grow potting soil

None of those potting soils/mixes have enough added ferts to get a hungry tomato through the season.

Elliot · October 18, 2015

I spoke with the nursery where I bought my tomato plants and they feel that miracle grow potting soil has too much nitrogen. If this is so, what can I use next year?

KC.Sun · October 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

None of those potting soils/mixes have enough added ferts to get a hungry tomato through the season.

I've played around with fertilizers this season. Including starvation and fertilizer applications side by side.

Potting soils don't have enough "food" so you have to supplement with fertilizers.
Tomato development is dependent on food "fertilizers" given to it. Development of foliage helps the tomato photosynthesize food. Blossom development and fruit set is dependent on fertilizers and temperature. When temps are too hot, blossoms will drop = no tomatoes. But if blossoms don't develop because of fertilizer deprivation then tomatoes will not set either.

Tomatoes deplete potting soil/mixes about 2-3 weeks after planting in container. This is also dependent on if you have a rainy season. The 2-3 week measurement is based off of a very rainy season.

Tomatoes are extremely heavy feeders.

Gardeneer · October 25, 2015

MG claims that its potting soil has enough plant food for UP TO 3 months. But it not clear what proportion of NPK and trace elements it contains. Another issue is the frequency of watering which can cause leach out of the nutrients in small containers.
Container growing like hydroponic requires continuous feeding at low dosage throughout the season for better results. .

October 13, 2015	#1
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	Looking back at my plants this past season A problem we had is that most of my tomato plants did not really produce that much fruit. At this time of the year in prior years I would be picking green tomatoes and pickling them. I have many green plants that have maybe one tomato on them and some none. What could be the cause of this? Could it be the heat we had in the NY area?

October 13, 2015	#2
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	could be....

October 18, 2015	#3
Zenbaas Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: South Africa Posts: 340	Maybe a phosphorous and Potassium deficiency..? Over abundance of nitrogen in the soil?

October 25, 2015	#9
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,915	MG claims that its potting soil has enough plant food for UP TO 3 months. But it not clear what proportion of NPK and trace elements it contains. Another issue is the frequency of watering which can cause leach out of the nutrients in small containers. Container growing like hydroponic requires continuous feeding at low dosage throughout the season for better results. .