Tomato blossom drop - Ask Extension
My Brandywine tomato plant is dropping it's flowers. It is planted in a 17 gallon container, identical to a Celebrity plant that is doing fine with ...
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Tomato blossom drop #802624
Asked July 23, 2022, 2:51 PM EDT
My Brandywine tomato plant is dropping it's flowers. It is planted in a 17 gallon container, identical to a Celebrity plant that is doing fine with lot's of fruit
Any thoughts?
Mats
Arapahoe County Colorado
Expert Response
Thank you for your question and for sending a photo.
It looks like an insect or caterpillar has been eating the foliage off of the plant in the upper left area. I would look for evidence of frass (insect droppings) in the foliage of the plant and along the stems. Also look for any other insect activity. Otherwise the plant looks quite healthy.
Brandywine and Celebrity tomatoes are two different kinds of tomatoes. Brandywine is an indeterminate tomato which means it will grow throughout the season and set fruit for a longer period of time. It is also a 90 day tomato, it takes 90 days or so from seed to harvest. Celebrity is a determinate tomato, it will grow to a certain height and then set fruit. It is a 70 day tomato. So you will see different structure and fruit set with the two types of tomatoes.
Tomatoes will abort flowers when the daytime temperatures are very high as we have seen. It is a physiological response from the tomato to conserve its energy to continue to grow rather than spend the energy to set fruit. Do not give up hope, the tomato will flower again and set fruit when the temperatures are more amenable. Continue to care for the tomato as you have been doing.
It looks like an insect or caterpillar has been eating the foliage off of the plant in the upper left area. I would look for evidence of frass (insect droppings) in the foliage of the plant and along the stems. Also look for any other insect activity. Otherwise the plant looks quite healthy.
Brandywine and Celebrity tomatoes are two different kinds of tomatoes. Brandywine is an indeterminate tomato which means it will grow throughout the season and set fruit for a longer period of time. It is also a 90 day tomato, it takes 90 days or so from seed to harvest. Celebrity is a determinate tomato, it will grow to a certain height and then set fruit. It is a 70 day tomato. So you will see different structure and fruit set with the two types of tomatoes.
Tomatoes will abort flowers when the daytime temperatures are very high as we have seen. It is a physiological response from the tomato to conserve its energy to continue to grow rather than spend the energy to set fruit. Do not give up hope, the tomato will flower again and set fruit when the temperatures are more amenable. Continue to care for the tomato as you have been doing.
