mule or bull tomato plant?

[garden patch]

What can be done to a tomato plant that hasn't produced any flowers? I have a plant that my dad used to call them a mule tomato plant. He would just pull out the plant and replace it. It seems to be growing real strong but it just doesn't set any flowers. All the other tomato plants seem to do well? Is there a way to get this plant to produce flowers?

[slugworth]

I've only seen the problem twice.
They were plants that didn't get enough sunlight during the day.

[mcsee]

They can be called Blind or Mule plants and is a genetic failing. I worked 7 years growing hydroponic tomatoes and came across this quite often, where they were mostly removed. I have pruned some plants by taking the tops off, which will force an axial leaf bud to form, which will become a new leader.

[GrowingCoastal]

We took them out in a tomato house I once worked in.

[slugworth]

They say it only happens with saved heirloom seeds,higher ups would know better.

[zipcode]

It's not quite clear, is it produced flowers or set flowers? I haven't ever had the first happen, maybe one needs to grow a lot more plants to get that chance.

[garden patch]

Hi guys thanks for your replies. One of my tomato plants hasn't made any flowers. I hope these pictures help with my description. I spoke with one of my neighbors and he has told me to wait another few days and see if it decides to make flowers for fruit. I've seen this happen once before in my dads yard. He always kept extra plants just in case of some misfortune. The funny thing is that this tomato plant is of the big beef variety.

I hope the pictures help.

[slugworth]

too much nitrogen will do it also

[garden patch]

I’ve used worm casting and organic chicken manure from acti-sol. I hope I didn’t give it to much nitrogen.

[slugworth]

sounds like

[garden patch]

well this tomato plant has flowers after tiny still. I'll post some pictures when they get a little bigger. Lets call it a late bloomer!!!

[zipcode]

That's still a fairly small plant, it's too early to draw any conclusion about it, it will probably produce just fine.

[garden patch]

I"m glad that its growing fine!!!