Tomatoes falling off

cecilsgarden1958 · August 23, 2017

This is the worst year I have ever seen for green tomatoes falling of vines. What actually causes this? I have a lot of early blight.

**carolyn137** · August 23, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by cecilsgarden1958

This is the worst year I have ever seen for green tomatoes falling of vines. What actually causes this? I have a lot of early blight.

The same thing has happened to me here in upper NYS and I blame the weather and the lack of watering when needed,etc. I have just 10 plants out there and someone else cares for them, or is supposed to.

Right now I have a baby Sgt Pepper that fell off that plant in a container here by the computer,no way it can ripen up,and I see one more baby one out there as well.

Not good.

Carolyn

HudsonValley · August 23, 2017

Same here. I've noticed it happening more often when nighttime temperatures have dipped below 55... And I'm looking at a five-night stretch of sub-55 temps, starting tonight.

Also, certain varieties like Jaune Flamme seem to be worse offenders than others.

Worth1 · August 23, 2017

It is because of the eclipse.
Somebody didn't sacrifice enough hummingbirds.

Worth

zeroma · August 23, 2017

This is only slightly on topic, but there is a special word to describe a hereditary trait which I can't think of without doing a google search, but it is when the ripe fruit (tomatoes) fall off the vine.

There is at least one variety I remember has this: Purple Eva Ball. So maybe the tomatoes have some of these genes?

Z

clkeiper · August 23, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

It is because of the eclipse.
Somebody didn't sacrifice enough hummingbirds.

Worth

yep. that!

MissS · August 23, 2017

Stress causes this. Under watering, heat, cold etc.

imp · August 23, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeroma

This is only slightly on topic, but there is a special word to describe a hereditary trait which I can't think of without doing a google search, but it is when the ripe fruit (tomatoes) fall off the vine.

There is at least one variety I remember has this: Purple Eva Ball. So maybe the tomatoes have some of these genes?

Z

Are you talking of "shattering"? Some currants do this.

brownrexx · August 24, 2017

Strangely my tomatoes seemed to be holding on tighter than usual this year. I had to use two hands to pick them to avoid breaking the branches. One hand to pull the tomato and the other to hold the branch. Usually I just tug on the tomato and it pops right off. I was finding this on all of my plants but especially on the Brandywines.

I WAS picking them slightly underripe to avoid letting the groundhog have them so this may have accounted for some of it, but still, they seemed to be holding on tighter than usual.

cecilsgarden1958 · August 26, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

The same thing has happened to me here in upper NYS and I blame the weather and the lack of watering when needed,etc. I have just 10 plants out there and someone else cares for them, or is supposed to.

Right now I have a baby Sgt Pepper that fell off that plant in a container here by the computer,no way it can ripen up,and I see one more baby one out there as well.

Not good.

Carolyn

Carolyn, would weather also cause my tomatoes not to ripen uniformly? I have many mostly red, but then a big irregular green area, mostly on the bottom sides. At first I thought Cloudy Spot, but it doesn't look like it inside. I posted a pic in the disease/pest forum, but I recall you don't see pictures, which is odd.

cecilsgarden1958 · August 26, 2017

Okay! My problem is called Blotchy. Will it help to fertilize this late?

August 23, 2017	#1
cecilsgarden1958 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: swPA Posts: 629	Tomatoes falling off This is the worst year I have ever seen for green tomatoes falling of vines. What actually causes this? I have a lot of early blight. __________________ Hybrids Rule, Heirlooms Drool!

August 23, 2017	#7
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,150	Stress causes this. Under watering, heat, cold etc. __________________ ~ Patti ~

August 26, 2017	#11
cecilsgarden1958 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: swPA Posts: 629	Okay! My problem is called Blotchy. Will it help to fertilize this late? __________________ Hybrids Rule, Heirlooms Drool!

August 23, 2017	#3
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	Same here. I've noticed it happening more often when nighttime temperatures have dipped below 55... And I'm looking at a five-night stretch of sub-55 temps, starting tonight. Also, certain varieties like Jaune Flamme seem to be worse offenders than others.

August 23, 2017	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	It is because of the eclipse. Somebody didn't sacrifice enough hummingbirds. Worth

August 23, 2017	#5
zeroma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 637	This is only slightly on topic, but there is a special word to describe a hereditary trait which I can't think of without doing a google search, but it is when the ripe fruit (tomatoes) fall off the vine. There is at least one variety I remember has this: Purple Eva Ball. So maybe the tomatoes have some of these genes? Z

August 24, 2017	#9
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Strangely my tomatoes seemed to be holding on tighter than usual this year. I had to use two hands to pick them to avoid breaking the branches. One hand to pull the tomato and the other to hold the branch. Usually I just tug on the tomato and it pops right off. I was finding this on all of my plants but especially on the Brandywines. I WAS picking them slightly underripe to avoid letting the groundhog have them so this may have accounted for some of it, but still, they seemed to be holding on tighter than usual.