Blossom set sprays, do they work?

[TJS]

I have a Marianna's Peace tomato, and it is budding up. It has lots of buds. I have read that that variety doesn't produce very well and will try some blosom set spray to improve production. Has any one here used this stuff, did it work for you?
Thanks, Tim

[carolyn137]

Tim, Blosson Set Spray was developed to be used where temps are too cool for normal pollination, not to be used when temps are OK for normal pollination.

Different brands of Blossom Set have different plant hormones in them, such as indole acetic acid, and what they do is to allow fruit set by bypassing normal fertilization of the ovules in the tomato ovary which is the usual way in which fruit set is triggered and seeds develop.

This process is called parthenocarpy and can lead to few to no seeds for most of the fruits early on, mealy flesh and malformed fruits.

Honestly, I haven't seen many others talk about Marianna's Peace as being a problem, Brandywine yes, but not MP which I've grown.

Blssom set is used most of the time in the cool springs in the PNW and I suppose elsewhere but having also grown some parthenocarpic varieties such as Oregon Spring and others bred by Dr Baggett at OSU for the PNW, I sure would NOT use BLossom Set Spray myself.

If I were you I'd simply shake the plants a couple of times each day, but again, you're about the first person I've heard who has said MP is a shy producer.

All the time I see the ads for Blossom Set Spray they never tell you it induces parthencarpy and they never tell you you won't accomplish anything when temps are OK for normal pollination.

But then I get just as annoyed with the blurbs I see for the product usually called Stop Rot, which is supposed to prevent BER ( blossom end rot).

[TJS]

Hi Carolyn'
Thanks for the reply. I thought I read somewhere about MP not being very productive, maybe I'm thinking of Brandywine. I have not used the spray yet and now I won't at all. By the way I just heard about your book yesterday and plan to buy it today.
Tim

[dcarch]

I used BS last year.

I bought one bottle on eBay used it and did not notice any improvements. Thinking that I might have purchased a fake bottle, I went to the store and bought a separate bottle. Used it, still no results.

On the other hand, I used an electric vibrator later and got maybe 95% fruit set.

As usual, my trial may not be the last word. There are always many other factors involved. I like to hear from others who has tried BS.

dcarch

[TJS]

Hi dcharch,
I just made my self a vibrator out of an old electric toothbrush with an artists brush. What is the technique you use with it?
Tim

[carolyn137]

On the other hand, I used an electric vibrator later and got maybe 95% fruit set.

*****

And I've never used adjuncts to fruit set, ever, in decades of tomato growing and still get a very high fruit set for those varieties that DO produce lots of fruits.

I don't see much blossom drop and I sure as heck don't go out there and count the blossoms and then see how many fruits develop from X number of blossoms b'c blossoms appear all summer and I've got to tell you I've got other things to do than to count blossoms.

But I agree with you that Blossom Set has a very narrow, limited use except for those living in areas I mentioned above.

[Worth1]

They sell the stuff down here for the heat!!!
Some folks swear by it.
I have not found ONE person say they have done a controlled study to see if it really worked.
I have and no it doesn't work for the heat .

Blossom counting?

Worth

[caascher2]

Thanks for the information Carolyn. I hadn't realized that Blossom Set spray was for such a narrowed usage. I am new to growing things that are OP, actually my first real year where most of everything I plant will be that way. It sounds as if you are not a proponent for BER spray as well.
Carol

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by TJS

Hi dcharch,
I just made my self a vibrator out of an old electric toothbrush with an artists brush. What is the technique you use with it?
Tim

Check this out
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=vibrations

dcarch

[TJS]

dcharch,
Very ingenious, Where do you use the vibrator the inside of the flower, outside, on branch? How long for each flower?
Thanks, Tim

[carolyn137]

Carol, for all intents and purposes growing OP's vs hybrids is really no different, so just use the same methods for the OP's that you used for the hybrids you've grown.

[caascher2]

Great Carolyn..I really never did anything but water my plants. Always got a decent amount of veggies. But when I read some of these threads I think I must be missing out on something or not doing something I should be doing to my plants!
Carol

[michael johnson]

I hate blossom set spray, the tomatoes taste awfull without the seeds in them,and somehow just dont seem the same.

Some people use it on the first bottom truss to set the tomatoes during a cold start early spring, and then leave the plants to produce normaly for the rest of the season.

[gardengalrn]

I used some from Garden's Alive one year and honestly didn't see any difference in fruit set. And, as Carolyn stated, a few of my fruits were very mealy. I felt that the taste was off too but it could have been because the texture was so weird that I couldn't get over it.