2016 Tomato Growing

DOH!!

 

I've left my doors and manual vent wide open this last week, had no choice as I was away on holiday. Have come back to find them gone mad, got a few more Sungold and New Girl ripened plus loads of side-shoots.

 

I'm treating my toms mean this year. Hoping the stress gives more flowers and fruit

 

For me 2015 was a bad tomato year. So far this year it has been much better, I've never been picking them this early before.

 

Looks like they caught a bit of sun. Bit of sscorching is all, a light misting should sort of its not too bad

 

Curling leafs at the top of the plant are quite normal.

Not sure what you mean by 'cones'?

Are they in grobags/soil/pots - what sort of compost have you used - are the indoors/outdoors?

The flowers drop off when the fruit has set - can you see tiny fruit? If not you need to give the plant some help with pollination. Gently tap the plants, every time you feed/water/inspect - this releases pollen and helps fertilise the flowers. It's usually a problem with plants grown indoors as insects don't help and there is no wind to blow the flowers about. Also if they are too dry the fruit won't set - so if humidity is low you need to spray the flowers in the mornings too.

 

Fir cones shouldn't be a problem, although in a bucket with holes I doubt they will help.

The self pollinating phrase means each flower can fertilise itself, it doesn't need a mate (another flower/plant).

But they still need help to get the pollen from the male part to the female part within the flower, it can be done with a brush but that is fiddly and time-consuming

So gently tap/shake them at least twice a day. I do mine when opening and closing the door/vents - mine are on strings so I just tap the supports half a dozen times so that the flowers on all the plants shake, that will self pollinate them. You might have to shake each set of flowers just to be sure - gentle tapping does the trick.