THE TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2018

I know this is a Tomato thread but could I ask two things. First is my greenhouse Bell Pepper plant. It had one flower on that has since dropped off. when does the pepper appear as nothing yet. Also I have one of those black plastic compost bins which now seems to have Bumble Bees in it..Is that normal.

 

Do you always use tap water on your greenhouse tomatoes, or from a butt? I've seen it suggested that water collected from roofs can contain blight spores [1] and infect greenhouse tomatoes. Another one is hot, showery weather when the top vents are open during a shower and the plants underneath get soaked.


[1] Which does sound plausible, especially if the roof is moist when millions of spores are floating around, then a shower of rain will wash them all into the water butt.

 

Defiantly not. I hand pollinate all the time, I use an old electric toothbrush now. However the photo's show plants that were pollinated by just shaking them once a day. I previously had poor crops just relying upon bees and other pollinators

 

In my old house I had bush cherry tomatos in my conservatory, and I would just give the plant a little shake every now and then and I had plenty of toms. I have been tapping the ones in my greenhouse when I water them and there are loads of little green toms growing now.

 

Thanks Jane...I'll get one ordered.

Thanks sandymac...your toms are looking great.

 

Does anyone know what causes the blooms to drop off?

It's only happening to the Moneymakers, the GDs nearer the door are fine.

 

Something I always do, and sometimes have to shout at Mrs Scrungee not to go into a polytunnel after handling outdoor spuds and toms.

 

Usually caused by some kind of stress. Temperatures too cold or too hot;night temps below
60 deg day temps above 85 deg (Max min thermometer req)
Soil too dry or too wet; soil too nutrient rich (nitrogen) or deficient; these are some reasons tomatoes and peppers drop their blossoms.
Verticillium and fusarium wilt. Fungal diseases leave plants stressed and fighting to survive; blossoms drop as the plant fights to overcome disease. Root rot due overwatering. It's a minefield.
The good news is a plant that has dropped its blossoms will flower again, set fruit, and be productive once the stress has been eliminated.
Money Makers are usually pretty good and grow well probably one of the easiest to grow, pity they are balls of water with no taste

 

Thanks sandymac...I'll see how it goes.

 

I'm growing 3 of the Moneymakers. Have they no taste at all?

 

Blimey I have been reading about Tomato pollination with interest/smile! I do absolutely nothing and never have to aid the pollination of mine ( grown in my greenhouse) I have zero problems with pollination and only knock the plants when I am trying to remove a shoot or whatever. We do have literally thousands of Bubblers tho so maybe they just pay me back for all the plants I grow which they benefit from. In some ways I wish I hadn’t read the discussions as I am now probably going to stress on whether mine will be pollinated enoughDefinitely a case of “ignorance is bliss’.