Got Tomato Growing Questions?

The Miracle Grow potting soil might have something to do with it, because it could have too much fertilizer for tender plants just starting out.

Another thing that can cause leggy plants is when your grow lamps are too far away. So move them closer if you think that might apply.

Good luck!

Plenty of flowers, but no fruit is starting inside of flower, Inside is just turning brown.
Help!

@Tracey,

Here’s a good Oregon State University Extension page about the subject.

http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/disease.cfm?RecordID=1077

Cold weather during the fruiting period is one cause of cat facing, and herbicide use near the tomato plant is another one. Anything with 2,4-D can hurt tomatoes. Lawn type weed killers near your garden can be a culprit, if you use those.

Here are some varieties that are resistant:
http://vric.ucdavis.edu/veg_info/catface.htm

@Barbara,

If the blossoms are NOT turning into tomatoes, here are some potential causes:

# Temperature Too High or Too Low
# Lack of Pollination
# Nitrogen – Too Much or Too Little
# Humidity Too High or Low Humidity.
# Lack of water
# Stress from insect damage or disease

http://gardening.about.com/od/problemspest1/a/BlossomDrop.htm

@Dan Kmiotek,

Good question. It appears that it is possible that seeds can be infected with early blight.

Here are a few good resources for you.

http://www.umassvegetable.org/LateBlightAlertforTomatoandPotato.html

This Cornell link has a list of 8 good steps you should take.
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/cmp/solanaceous.php#d5

1. Use crop rotations of at least 3 years to non-hosts (away from tomato, potato and eggplant).
2. Provide optimum growing conditions and fertility. Stressed plants (including drought) are more susceptible to early blight.
3. Stake or cage plants to keep fruit and foliage away from soil.
4. Drip irrigation is preferred, or overhead irrigation starting before dawn, so that the plants are dry early in the day. The key is to keep the period of leaf wetness to a minimum.
5. Mulching helps to prevent splashing of spores from soil up to lower leaves.
6. Indeterminate tomato and late-maturing potato varieties are usually more resistant/tolerant to early blight.
7. Early blight can be seed-borne, so buy from a reliable supplier. Hot water seed treatment at 122°F for 25 minutes is recommended to control early blight on tomato seed. See chlorine treatment procedures under bacterial diseases.
8. Disinfect stakes or cages with an approved product each season before using. Sodium hypochlorite at 0.5% (12x dilution of household bleach) is effective, and must be followed by rinsing, and proper disposal of solution. Hydrogen peroxide is also permitted.

@Eddie,

There are different types of grow bags. The regular kind, and the upside down kind.

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/tomato-smart-pot-planter.html

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/totuupdotofl.html

With a regular grow bag, you can start from seed or a starter plant. With a Topsy Turvy, you’ll have to start with a starter plant.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is starting out with a high quality potting soil. The better the soil quality, the better you’ll do.

Here’s a good article about potting soil.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1082/is_3_43/ai_54851905/

I love the Square Foot Gardening soil recipe, which also works well in containers.
http://www.mysquarefootgarden.net/mels-mix/

Good luck!

My tomato plants are not growing very much. I live in Arkansas and I planted them about 1 month ago but they have only grown a few inches. The leaves have a deep green color and they all look very healthy though. Can you help me please?

I live in Minnesota. We received an excessive amount of rain during the month of June and my plants got off to a slow start. Because of the excessive water my plants I believe were attacked with early blight. With sprays I believe I got that under control. Now that the fruit is coming many of then are getting black spots all over the plant. I do not believe it is blossom rot as it is all over the plant. What is this? Is it okay to eat? Is there anything I can do to prevent or stop this from happening?
Also, last year I had a problem with little black bugs borrowing into my tomatoes. What are these and how do I get rid of them should I run into this problem again?
Help. Thank you.

The last 3 years have been disappointing when it comes to my tomato’s. My soil is good, I spray to avoid disease, I added new soil, manure, triple super phosphate and bone meal. I till the soil before planting my different varieties of tomatoes. They seem to start out ok, then they don’t produce enough leaves, flowers drop off and I have a very small crop. I live in MI and usually plant around the 20th of May……is that to early.

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for you help!

If a tomato gets “blossom end rot”, can the unaffected parts still be used?