Is there such thing as a 'sterile' plant?

[gssgarden]

I put in a Neves Azorian Red plant around the 15th of April. From seedling until transplant, it has looked healthy, dark green leaves, no bugs or disease. While all others are approching the 3'-4' mark in height and full of flowers and a few toms, the NAR is only about 1 1/2' tall and not one single flower. There are no signs of it getting any either. It's very dense and 'bushy'. Alot of leaves, but they really seem to be crowding the center of the plant. So much that I timmed the inside of the plant to maybe facilitate the production of flowers. But nothing. I'll trim again later with more vigor.

Is there a name for a tom that won't put out any flowers? Or is it just called 'a waste of space'?

Thanks.

Greg

[oc tony]

It's called a mule by some people.

[kygreg]

had a Magnum Beefsteak do that last year.

[carolyn137]

I've always called them mules but others have other names for them as well. And I've seen them far more often in the fields of my commercial friend's hybrids.

Were the NAR seedlings the same size as the other seedlings?

I'm not so sure I'd write off an 18 inch plant b'c all the mulkes I've ever seen are big strong healthy plants, actually bigger than their producing counterparts, although devoid of blossoms.

maybe there's another reason that it's stunted and those reasons for me woould center on possibly a viral disease .

Were your seeds from a trade or from a commercial source? Just curious.

[nctomatoman]

Very interesting indeed....I've seen exactly one example of a so-called "mule" plant - Neves Azorean Red - the first year I tried it. It grew into a monster, vigorous plant over 6 feet tall, multibranched - and not a single blossom! I don't think it is a common occurrence at all, but it is remarkable that there is possibly a tendency for NAR (however slight) to produce such plants!

[oc tony]

About thirty years ago my brother bought four tomato plants & planted them next to his patio & they were very healthy & grew to about six feet & they were all mules. He also planted some carrots at the same time & in the same conditions & got a very good crop.

[gssgarden]

I got the seeds from Marianna's Heirloom Seeds. This is my first year ordering from her and all seems to be well with the other seeds that were ordered. I started four plants and at the time, all seemed well. They are currently at other locations but hope for a update soon.
This pic isn't the best shot due to the morning sun but it'll show that there is no sign of didease or bugs. I'd like to get a shot of it with the others but the sun made it difficult. Wierd because all other are at least twice the hieght and planted at the same time. This has also been pruned nicely before but it getting a hair cut today.

Greg

007.jpg

[MikeInCypress]

My experience with "mules" include a Beefmaster that grew to seven feet without a blossom and a Granny Cantrell's German Red that was about six feet wide and tall that was healthy but no blossoms. On the beefmaster I blamed too much nitrogen but on the GCGR I had no clue. It ios frustrating when you grow only one of a variety to have this occur.

MikeInCypress

[Ruth_10]

I would be inclined to pull it at some point if you're convinced it won't set flowers, reason being that the surrounding plants would benefit from the increased airflow and space created by removing this "big hat no cattle" plant.

[rsg2001]

Three years ago I had a Mr. Stripey plant that I had bought in a nursery that was a mule. It was very vigorous and I let it grow as it would the entire season, and no flowers, no nothing.

[BigdaddyJ]

I had the same experience with a NAR plant about 3 years ago that Craig describes. It didn't blossom until late September when the plant was 6 feet tall or so. I have grown about 5 other NAR plants in the past three years and all of them were vigorous and delicious! I'm organic and my plants get very little nitrogen and are grown in compost rich raised beds. About 12 years ago I also had a mule from a Park's Whopper seedling. Those are my only two mules in 16 years growing toms here.

[creister]

This year, my NAR, some of the fruits appear close to blushing, but are very small (6oz or so), and it is not so tall, maybe 4 feet. Seeds were some I bought last year from TGS. Last years plant topped out about 5 ft., but it made much larger fruits. Could all be environmental. I had an Aker's West Virginia set one fruit, and then do what you are describing.

[dice]

This year, my NAR, some of the fruits appear close to
blushing, but are very small (6oz or so), and it is not so tall,
maybe 4 feet.

Could be short on phosphorus. That's one of the symptoms:
they grow slow and, "are often mistaken for much younger
plants". If you have any around, you could try foliar feeding
it with some kind of blossom booster (usually high phosphorus).
If it is phosphorus deficient, it would probably be showing
some purple on the undersides of the lower leaves, too.

[WVTomatoMan]

It is interesting what you have, but it is not a bull (aka mule) plant.

I've had runts, but they weren't dense and bushy, just small plants that didn't do much.

The only bull/mule I've had was a Mr. Stripey and it was a big, lush, thick, dark green, beautiful plant. It produced zero fruit.

Good luck.

Randy

[gssgarden]

I did trim it good and gave it a little more fert but still nothing. With no signs of buds. Shame because it's one of my favs.

Greg