Where Have All The Flowers Gone? Gibberellic gibberish(pics)

dcarch · July 8, 2006

In trying different things to improve yield, I applied (only once in the beginning) GA to many of my plants after I set them out this year

Here is something I have read: “I used GA3 at 150 PPM on my tomato plants 36 days after transplanting. That was June 28th. When I applied it I had only 2 "Early Girl" tomatoes the size of a pea showing. Quite a few flowers were about to open on both "Early Girls" and "German Johnsons" when I applied it. Here we are at 13 days after spraying and I have 75 tomatoes growing now!!!”

Well I now have plants at least 10 to 12 feet tall with NO FLOWERS!!!. In the picture you will see I try to serpentine the stems to control their growth. Some of them are reach second stories high.

Big big big big mistake!

dcarch

nancysil · July 8, 2006

That's the scariest thing I've seen in a while, LOL. Your house is going to be swallowed up by tomato plants.

**carolyn137** · July 8, 2006

Unfortunately the paragraph you wrote that you were quoting from gave absolutrly no indication of the number of fruits that appeared on the CONTROL plants, that is, ones not treated with GA/

So how can anyone know if it did anything or not?

I used GA to help wake up some old seeds b'c it was also recommended, but it didn't significantly increase the germination percentage.

But of those plants that did germinate they were the most stupid, spindly, fast growing plants that I've ever seen and no, I didn't plant them out b'c this was an experiment.

But since GA is a plant hormone and plants make their own hormones I think it's reasonable to expect that GA treatment would lead to such abnormal plants. Sigh.

vodreaux · July 8, 2006

You can always use Electric Toothbrush on the flowers.

dcarch · July 9, 2006

Carolyn,

I did a little research on the use of GA for Tomatoes before I tried. I did not find much negative information, mostly somewhat positive, that’s why I went ahead and used it.

In my case I do have "control plants" to compare. A few plants I put in afterwards are growing normally. (Zebra, BW, Siberia).

Another thing, cuttings from GA treated plants grow in the same fashion.

I also confirm your experience that GA treated seeds didn't germinate faster.

I hope my experience on GA will benefit others.

Wouldn't it be fun to spray my leftover GA on my neighbors’ gardens without telling them?

vodreaux,

I would use the electric brush if I can find flowers.

dcarch

landarc · July 9, 2006

Now I see why you would need a blssom vibrator with an extedning handle. That is impressive as heck. I may have to remember this if I get a residential client that needs 'kudzu' like growth. I don't know that I would even recognize those as tomatoes walking by.

kimpossible · July 10, 2006

Call me stupid

but I do not know what GA is!

Mantis · July 10, 2006

Gibberellic Acid I think. I have read Carolyns posts on it before and would not touch it with a stick. Would be good if it gave that sort of growth and fruit set as well.

dcarch · July 10, 2006

kimpossible,

GA = Gibberellic Acid, a compound in "Megagro"

dcarch

July 8, 2006	#1
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	Where Have All The Flowers Gone? Gibberellic gibberish(pics) In trying different things to improve yield, I applied (only once in the beginning) GA to many of my plants after I set them out this year Here is something I have read: “I used GA3 at 150 PPM on my tomato plants 36 days after transplanting. That was June 28th. When I applied it I had only 2 "Early Girl" tomatoes the size of a pea showing. Quite a few flowers were about to open on both "Early Girls" and "German Johnsons" when I applied it. Here we are at 13 days after spraying and I have 75 tomatoes growing now!!!” Well I now have plants at least 10 to 12 feet tall with NO FLOWERS!!!. In the picture you will see I try to serpentine the stems to control their growth. Some of them are reach second stories high. Big big big big mistake! dcarch

July 8, 2006	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Unfortunately the paragraph you wrote that you were quoting from gave absolutrly no indication of the number of fruits that appeared on the CONTROL plants, that is, ones not treated with GA/ So how can anyone know if it did anything or not? I used GA to help wake up some old seeds b'c it was also recommended, but it didn't significantly increase the germination percentage. But of those plants that did germinate they were the most stupid, spindly, fast growing plants that I've ever seen and no, I didn't plant them out b'c this was an experiment. But since GA is a plant hormone and plants make their own hormones I think it's reasonable to expect that GA treatment would lead to such abnormal plants. Sigh. __________________ Carolyn

July 9, 2006	#6
landarc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Left Coasty Posts: 964	Now I see why you would need a blssom vibrator with an extedning handle. That is impressive as heck. I may have to remember this if I get a residential client that needs 'kudzu' like growth. I don't know that I would even recognize those as tomatoes walking by. __________________ Lets see...$10 for Worth and $5 for Fusion, man. Tomatoes are expensive! Bob

July 10, 2006	#7
kimpossible Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Z5b SW Ont Canada Posts: 767	Call me stupid but I do not know what GA is! __________________ *So Many Tomatoes ... So Little Time*

July 8, 2006	#2
nancysil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New England Posts: 13	That's the scariest thing I've seen in a while, LOL. Your house is going to be swallowed up by tomato plants.

July 8, 2006	#4
vodreaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 62	You can always use Electric Toothbrush on the flowers.

July 10, 2006	#8
Mantis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 1,241	Gibberellic Acid I think. I have read Carolyns posts on it before and would not touch it with a stick. Would be good if it gave that sort of growth and fruit set as well.