question

mmm123 · February 6, 2015

I was given 2 black cherries tomatos last year and I saved the seeds from one.
Not sure who or where the tomatos were grown.
The seeds sprouted almost immediately 4 out of 4.
My question is the plants are around 4 foot tall and have about 15-20 tomatos on each plant and they are falling off while thay are still green. A few have got dark
but not black. I have several other types of cherries going and only the black cherries are dropping off prematurely?
What causes a cherry tomato to drop immature fruit?
Thanks
Mike

Tormato · February 7, 2015

Gravity.

Sorry I can't help out with the real answer, but I've never had cherries drop.

Labradors2 · February 7, 2015

Maybe you have a Green-when-ripe mutation? Gently squeeze the green ones and see if they feel ripe!

Linda

FLRedHeart · February 7, 2015

Welcome to Tomatoville!

Something probably is causing stress to that plant unless it is as Linda says a green when ripe tomato which you can readily check. Maybe it got too hot, or too cold and is a more sensitive variety, or many other possibilities for usually what are environmental stresses.

If that is not the case, besides gravity LOL, perhaps you saved seeds from a plant with the never ripe, or uniform ripening gene mutations, (Nr, rin, nor) in which unlikely case your tomato could need an ethylene boost to properly ripen.

Father'sDaughter · February 7, 2015

Or, if you don't know what the variety is you saved seeds from, is it possible it was a hybrid?

FarmerShawn · February 7, 2015

I agree with the suggestion to give them the squeeze test for ripeness. My black cherries in the hoophouse get nice and dark, but the outside-grown ones almost never get as dark, more of a drab tan color. They taste just fine, but they never look as good as the inside-grown ones.

February 6, 2015	#1
mmm123 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: LaBelle, FL Posts: 20	question I was given 2 black cherries tomatos last year and I saved the seeds from one. Not sure who or where the tomatos were grown. The seeds sprouted almost immediately 4 out of 4. My question is the plants are around 4 foot tall and have about 15-20 tomatos on each plant and they are falling off while thay are still green. A few have got dark but not black. I have several other types of cherries going and only the black cherries are dropping off prematurely? What causes a cherry tomato to drop immature fruit? Thanks Mike

February 7, 2015	#4
FLRedHeart Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: FL 8b/9a Posts: 262	Welcome to Tomatoville! Something probably is causing stress to that plant unless it is as Linda says a green when ripe tomato which you can readily check. Maybe it got too hot, or too cold and is a more sensitive variety, or many other possibilities for usually what are environmental stresses. If that is not the case, besides gravity LOL, perhaps you saved seeds from a plant with the never ripe, or uniform ripening gene mutations, (Nr, rin, nor) in which unlikely case your tomato could need an ethylene boost to properly ripen. Last edited by FLRedHeart; February 7, 2015 at 03:49 PM.

February 7, 2015	#6
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	I agree with the suggestion to give them the squeeze test for ripeness. My black cherries in the hoophouse get nice and dark, but the outside-grown ones almost never get as dark, more of a drab tan color. They taste just fine, but they never look as good as the inside-grown ones. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

February 7, 2015	#2
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	Gravity. Sorry I can't help out with the real answer, but I've never had cherries drop.

February 7, 2015	#3
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	Maybe you have a Green-when-ripe mutation? Gently squeeze the green ones and see if they feel ripe! Linda

February 7, 2015	#5
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	Or, if you don't know what the variety is you saved seeds from, is it possible it was a hybrid?