Garden

[GeorgiaJanet]

I bought Cottage Farm tomatoes in 2018 and they were great.  I bought Cottage Farm tomatoes in 2019 and the plants all got a fungus and the plants died.  I bought Cottage Farm heirloom tomatoes this year and all I am getting is tons of green leaves and stems!  I have about 6 tomatoes on 4 different plants and they stay on the plants and remain green for months.....no ripe tomatoes yet!.  A few I had to throw away because they got brown on the bottom.  I am so disappointed!  I've been growing tomatoes for 30 years and this year's crop is awful.  Had to go to the farmers market to get good tomatoes to eat.  Forget it, next year I'll go back to Home Depot or Lowe's and get theirs again.

Anyone else having such trouble?  

[Kachina624]

@GeorgiaJanet   Are you planting them in the same place year after year?  I've heard this shouldn't be done as there's a fungus or virus that they'll pick up.  Perhaps @JustJazzmom could help as she's a Master Gardner.

[GeorgiaJanet]

No I've been planting them in large pots.  I really scrubbed out the pots with Dawn last year so the fungus wouldn't return, so I'm not battling fungus this year, thank goodness.  I plant them with Miracle Gro potting soil and have fertilized them properly.  I just don't know why I can't get very many tomatoes and why they won't turn red.  They get plenty of sun, but not too much sun.  It is a puzzle. 

@QVC watcher   Are you planting them in the same place year after year?  I've heard this shouldn't be done as there's a fungus or virus that they'll pick up.  Perhaps @JustJazzmom could help as she's a Master Gardner.

[millieshops]

Anyone else in your neighborhood planting tomatoes in pots and having success?

I tried that in Florida and had lots of greenery, some blossoms, but the plant died before fruit grew large and ripened -  from Home Depot plants.  I assumed it was something I did wrong because I was new to Florida then.

[GeorgiaJanet]

If I hadn't had such good luck in 2018 when I planted the Cottage Farm tomatoes in the pots, I would wonder if that was the thing.   But I got so many tomatoes that year.  The only difference I can see this year is maybe those were patio plants made to stay small in pots, whereas these are regular sized plants and the vines are getting to be 6 feet high.  Maybe that is part of the problem.   Thanks. 

Anyone else in your neighborhood planting tomatoes in pots and having success?

I tried that in Florida and had lots of greenery, some blossoms, but the plant died before fruit grew large and ripened -  from Home Depot plants.  I assumed it was something I did wrong because I was new to Florida then.

[JustJazzmom]

@GeorgiaJanet  A few things could be the problem--

From the Growing Tomatoes on Long Island info sheet: link on another thread in Garden Forum. 

Physiological Problems
Failure to set fruit - Every year gardeners have tomatoes that flower but do not set fruit. This is caused by low night air and soil temperatures (below 55°F), abnormally hot weather, low soil moisture, excessive shading, or over-fertilizing.

You mentioned the soil used contained Miracle Gro. How high is that 1st number (nitrogen) on the bag? If it's too high, you get foliage. That 2nd number (Phosphorus)  should be higher as that encourages blooms. 

Tomatoes also use a lot of magnesium from the soil as do peppers. When I grow these 2 veggies, I add some Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to the soil before planting. I sprinkle it over the top. Then in July, I sprinkle more Epsom salts around these plants too. It helps. 

@Kachina624  Tomatoes are planted in a different part of the garden because over the years, certain micronutrients are removed from the soil. Fungal diseases of tomatoes are caused by planting certain cultivars that are fungal prone (some heirlooms are guilty of that). That 2nd fact sheet I posted: Recommended vegetables for the garden have specific varieties that are fungal disease resistant. There is a letter key at the bottom of the page that tells you what the diseases are & which tomatoes avoid them.

@GeorgiaJanet  Tomatoes that get brown on the bottom sounds like blossom end rot which is caused by a lack of calcium in the soil or uneven watering practices. (Sometimes not your fault). 

From the same tomato info sheet:

Blossom end rot is caused by insufficient calcium uptake when fruits are forming.  The first symptom of blossom end rot is a slight water soaked area near the blossom end of the fruit. The circular lesion soon darkens and enlarges until the fruit begins to ripen. The size of the spot may range from a speck to half the size of the tomato. Fruit that is not badly affected may still be eaten - just cut out the spot.

Calcium deficiency usually results from improper soil pH. It is very important to have your soil tested in advance of planting. Heavy rain, drought or improper irrigation cause wide fluctuations in soil moisture that interfere with calcium uptake. Hoeing or cultivating should be done no closer than one foot from the plants to avoid root pruning. Mulching will eliminate the need for cultivation and help maintain soil moisture at an even level. Lastly, do not over-fertilize; rapid growth caused by over fertilization can contribute to blossom end rot.

[Kachina624]

@JustJazzmom    Thanks so much for chiming in.

[GeorgiaJanet]

Thank you JustJazzmom!  You have given me lots of information that might explain why they are not doing well.  I'll check the Miracle Gro bag and see what the proportions were and I can use your advice and add some things to the soil that might help.  Yes, I forgot, I used to put epsom salts in the soil when I was planting them in the ground years back.  Lots of good info!!

[Reever]

I believe when Philip left the quality control of this company deteoriorated.  Philip Watson left to start his own company.  I know many people boycotted the line after his departure. Ive never had much luck with a lot of their items except for day Lillies.

[GeorgiaJanet]

I'm responding to my original post.  In the past couple days I have had four tomatoes finally start to turn red.  I think what the main problem is with most of these plants is that they are the type of vine that produces big, gigantic tomatoes and all the energy goes into producing large tomatoes.  I have a couple that are whoppers.  Next time I buy tomatoes, I won't emphasize heirloom as much.  I want a bigger quantity of smaller tomatoes so that I am supplied with them all summer.  At the rate these grow, I'll be lucky if each of the plants even produces another tomato that has time to ripen during the remainder of the growing season.