Advice from the Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
Client's Request: I purchased a Yellow Rainbow Beefsteak Tomato Plant at your annual sale in Walnut Creek this year. The plant has grown quite big and has about four tomatoes on the plant. They have stayed about the same size for about two weeks now and are not turning yellow — they are green. I have used organic tomato fertilizer, but it has not helped. Any suggestions?
It's hard to know why your tomato has been so slow to produce ripe tomatoes. However, Yellow Rainbow Beefsteak tomatoes are one of the slower tomatoes to start producing—some websites call them “fall producers”. The typical time for the plants to start producing is about 90 days from the time the seedlings go into the ground, so it does seem that your plant is a bit late. One possibility is that the soil where it is planted had excessive nitrogen fertilizer. When there is excess nitrogen, tomato plants often produce abundant foliage but set very few tomatoes. Next year, you might want to do a soil test before you plant your tomatoes. You can purchase an inexpensive home soils test kit at a nursery or big box store. The kit typically allows you to test levels of three principal nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (N, P, K). N is used by plants to produce green foliage; P helps with fruit production and K helps with roots and the overall well-being of the plant. Then use fertilizers only as needed to address any nutrient deficits.
You indicated that you used an organic tomato fertilizer. That likely included some amount of all three nutrients (and possibly other micro-nutrients such as calcium). If the plant was already growing well, it probably didn't need more nitrogen. Applying a fertilizer that added only phosphorous might have done the job. Also, you didn't say when you applied the fertilizer, but we are guessing you might have added it to help spur fruit production. If you applied it before the four tomatoes set, the fact that you now have those tomatoes on the plant may be a sign that the fertilizer application did help. As for the slow growth of the size of the tomatoes and their being slow to ripen, I think you just need to be patient. If is not uncommon for heirloom tomatoes to take several weeks to mature. I waited about six weeks after fruit set for tomatoes on one of my plants this year to finally grow to an appropriate size and ripen.
Tomatoes don't need to have insect pollinators to set fruit. Rather, the flowers are typically pollinated by wind action. If you have flowers on your plant that have not yet set fruit, try to duplicate the wind effect by gently shaking the plants once or twice a day, preferably mid-morning. Also, it may be helpful for you to know that tomatoes usually don't set fruit when daytime temperatures are more than 85 to 90 degrees. It's been somewhat cooler throughout our county in recent days (but not the last several days when this was edited and updated for posting) and hopefully, you may have had some additional fruit set then. But it's about to get hotter again for the next several days (or more likely cool again thank goodness). By early week when this blog is posted, it's supposed to be cooler again. Hopefully, at that time some additional tomatoes will set, particularly if you remember to shake the plant occasionally.
One final thought, keep track of how well all of your tomato plants produce and how much you enjoy their flavor. I typically try to plant at least one variety that has been a reliable producer in prior years to make it more likely that I'll get a steady supply of tomatoes. I re-plant slow producing varieties again only if I really thought their taste was outstanding and worth the wait and low production rate.
Hope you soon have some tasty tomatoes to harvest.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (tkl)
Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog.
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
MGCC Help Desk's Response: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk with your questions. I know the list of available tomato seeds and seedlings can be overwhelming.
Unfortunately, given our area each area can have lots of micro-climates. So we cannot tell you exactly which variety will grow best in your yard. That is highly dependent on your individual circumstances (are you planting in pots, raised beds, the amount of sun, temperature, disease). Your best information on how individual varieties will perform is likely from your successful tomato-growing neighbors.
There is some good information about heirloom tomatoes though. The scientific definition of an heirloom tomato is an open-pollinated variety that will make fruit identical to the parent. This means if you save seeds from your tomatoes you would expect to be able to produce the same fruit year after year. There is disagreement on how old a variety has to be to be considered an heirloom with some saying at least 50 years and others saying at least 100 years. Here are some links to articles written by nearby Master Gardener organizations which discuss heirloom tomatoes in further detail. In addition, if you want to save seed yourself you might look over the website for Seed Savers Exchange.
http://sacmg.ucanr.edu/What_are_Heirloom_Tomatoes/
http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/The_Kitchen_Garden/All_About_Tomatoes/Heirloom_Tomatoes/
https://www.seedsavers.org/
If you look through our list of tomatoes for our Great Tomato Plant Sale this year, you can see there are lots of different heirloom tomato varieties. It does appear that only one is a determinate variety (Black Sea Man, a slicer). As you likely know, determinate tomato varieties grow in more of a bush form than a vine and tend to set fruit all at once and then decline. For older varieties, most are likely going to be indeterminate. If you look through the offerings on Seed Savers, only 9 out of their 82 heirloom varieties appear to be determinate. You likely have found these lists already but below are the links to our descriptions of all our varieties and the shopping list to make it easier to find what you want the day of the sale.
http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/files/298659.pdf
http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/files/298656.pdf
Thank you for contacting us with your questions. We are very excited to see you for our MGCC tomato sale either on March 30th in Walnut Creek, April 6th in Richmond, or April 13th in Antioch.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SES)
Note: UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog.
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
Client's Request: I've just set up a small garden greenhouse. It has a heater, warming mats, fans, etc. I'm thinking about growing tomatoes during the winter. Would you please provide some advice on such a venture?
Help Desk Response: Thank you for your email to the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk about growing tomatoes in the winter in a (warm) greenhouse.
It appears that University of California does not have significant information on growing tomatoes in a greenhouse for the home gardener. However, I've listed below a few links to reputable articles from other sources that may be helpful in setting up and growing tomatoes in a greenhouse at home.
- This website from the University of Oregon, Department of Horticulture, has information on fertilization, soil, temperature and light, which may be helpful. Though the information is for commercial growing operations, some of it is applicable to home greenhouses. http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/tomato-greenhouse
- This link to SF Gate discusses good tomato varieties for greenhouse growing conditions and also, mentions ways to support the growing plants. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/types-tomatoes-greenhouse-production-30810.html
- This Wikihow website has some helpful information on various aspects of growing tomato plants in greenhouses. https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Tomatoes-in-a-Greenhouse
There are also many other web sites and YouTube videos available on the subject, but I would use them cautiously, and cross-check other references if they seem “too good to be true”.
Please contact us again if you have further questions. Good luck with your winter tomatoes.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SMT)
Note: UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog (//ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/)
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
MGCC Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk with your question about no fruit but lots of flowers on your tomato plants
There could be several reasons for lack of fruiting in tomatoes:
-- Night temperatures too low, below 55ºF (12.8ºC);
-- Daytime temperatures too high, above 90ºF (32.2ºC).
The plants will produce when temperatures become favorable. Note, though, that heirloom tomatoes can be fussier about temperatures than most hybrid tomatoes and in some areas can wait until late summer or early fall to start setting fruit.
-- Excess nitrogen fertilizer. Lots of healthy green leaves and stem growth, but few flowers or fruit.
-- Too much shade – you need a minimum of six hours of sun to produce fruit.
-- Lack of pollination. While tomatoes are self-fertile, the conditions mentioned above will inhibit pollination.
-- Plants set out too early in spring. -- We recommend planting tomato seedlings the first of May; often earlier planting of seedlings will be inhibited by cold temps and they will just “sulk”; consistent warmer weather and nights should get them growing
Recommendations:
-- Choose varieties adapted to your climate zone,
-- Plant tomatoes in full sun,
-- Keep soil evenly moist,
-- Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer, and
-- Tapping on blossom stems 3 times a week at midday when flowers are open may improve pollination and help set fruit.
Here is a comprehensive UC link about tomato culture, pests, diseases, and environmental disorders: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/tomato.html
We hope this information helps! Let us know if you have any additional questions.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SLH)
Note: The UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523, although we will be moving this spring. We will notify you if/when that occurs. We can also be reached via telephone: (925)646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog (http://ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/)
Advice for the Home Gardener From the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
Client's Request: Hello, I am a retired cattle rancher and farmer. Although I did not farm tomatoes, for years I did rent some of my farm ground to tomato growers. As you may know, they would only grow tomatoes on the same field for no more than 3 years due to soil-borne disease. I now live in a suburban setting ion in Contra Costa County and have a small garden area that I grow tomatoes on. My question is, what can I do to continue to grow healthy tomatoes on the same ground year after year? I prefer to grow medium to large tomatoes. Can you suggest varieties of tomatoes that are resistant to these diseases? My garden area is approximately 12' by 18'. Would it do any good to grow the tomatoes one year on one half and then on the other half the next year? Then repeat this rotation year after year. Thanks for your help.
As you are already aware, growing tomatoes in the same place year after year can favor a buildup of pests and diseases, while rotating many vegetable crops in the garden not only enhances soil fertility but can be effective against insect and disease pests that develop on a narrow range of vegetable plants. Moving crops to different sites isolates such pests from their food sources and reduces the chances that pests will gain a permanent foothold in your garden.
We strongly recommend that you not plant tomatoes or other plants in the Solanaceae (nightshade) family such as tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplants, and potatoes in the same garden area more than 2 years in a row. You may be interested in this informative UC reference called ‘Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden'. This free reference includes tomato culture suggestions, a list of tomatoes that includes fruit size and disease resistance, and a list of common pests and abiotic disorders. This list is not inclusive of the many, many tomatoes available, but it will provide information on tomato plants that are resistant to certain diseases. Keep in mind that there aren't any tomatoes that are completely immune to common tomato diseases! http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8159.pdf
The links below offer even more information and suggestions about crop rotation strategies in the home garden. For example, moving vegetables back and forth on a smallish garden plot may not be enough to protect against pests unless you plant in raised beds to increase separation of crops:
crop rotation: http://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmgnapa/files/160975.pdf
vegetables & sustainable: http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Vegetables/?uid=6&ds=462
crop rotation strategies: http://ucanr.edu/sites/gardenweb/files/29029.pdf
In case you are interested in building raised beds, this Sunset Home and Garden article is a good one: https://www.sunset.com/garden/perfect-raised-bed
You may also want to consider joining us in April for our annual tomato sale. Here is a link for more information, especially when the lists are published, of the heirloom and hybrid tomatoes you might find fit your desired types: http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/EdibleGardening/GreatTomatoPlantSale/
We hope you find the above references helpful! Good luck with your tomatoes this year!
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SLH)
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Note: The UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523, although we will be moving this spring. We will notify you if/when that occurs. We can also be reached via telephone: (925)646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog (http://ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/)
