Why Is There Not Enough Ovary On Tomatoes? Growing Errors. Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

What is a vegetable garden without tomato beds? However, to get the harvest of this crop, you have to work hard. And how sad it can be when, after so much effort, the harvest is nothing but grief. What could be the reason that the tomato blooms, but does not knit? What to do about it? It turns out that this phenomenon can be provoked by many different factors, and we can quite realistically influence many of them. In this article, we will understand what our mistakes lead to the fact that few flowers are formed on the bushes, pollination does not occur, and, as a result, there is little ovary on tomatoes.

1. Incorrect care of seedlings

The first mistake that affects the harvest later is made by us at the stage of growing seedlings. In most cases, we grow seedlings on the window, and the temperature regime goes to it as it is. However, there are rules, crossing which, we later reap a shortage of tomato fruits.

When the first loops appear, if the tomatoes germinated under a film (to preserve moisture and accelerate seed germination), the film must be removed. Then the sprouts that emerged from the first seeds that hatched will not stretch out. Bowls, cups, containers with peat tablets during this period should be exposed to light. And if it is not enough, provide additional lighting up to 12-14 hours a day. After the cotyledons open, the temperature regime must be reduced.

At night, the temperature during this period should be about +16 ° С, during the day - about + 18 … + 20 ° С. After a week, it must be increased - in the daytime up to 20-22 ° С (in cloudy weather + 18 … + 19 ° С), at night + 17 … + 18 ° С.

It is the high degree of illumination and the optimal night temperature that provide the tomatoes with the early formation of the first peduncles and increase the number of flowers in the inflorescences.

2. Violation of landing dates

The second mistake, which leads to the fact that tomatoes form little ovary, is the wrong planting time. The optimal indicator for planting seedlings in the ground is soil warming up to + 15 … + 16 ° С. At this point, the seedlings should have a height of 30–35 cm, 7–9 true leaves, a stem thickness of 0.8–1 cm and the first buds that open.

If you plant tomatoes when the soil has not yet warmed up, the root system of the plant will not develop. If much later, it will affect the growth of the fruits of 3-5 brushes. Planting before the seedlings have reached optimal parameters also affects the yield, because it stimulates increased tomato growth to the detriment of fruit formation.

3. Too tight fit

When planting seedlings in a permanent place, plants should be placed at a sufficient distance from each other, no more than 3-4 tomatoes per m² (undersized can be up to 5). Then the bushes will have a sufficient feeding area, well ventilated, without shading each other.

Dense planting saves space, but leads to defective shrub formation. As a result of insufficient illumination, they stretch out and, as a result, form fewer flower buds.

There are many recommendations for planting schemes, but the most optimal ones are considered: for low-growing varieties - 30x60 cm (30 cm between tomatoes and 60 cm between rows), with an average height - 35x70-75 cm, tall ones 40-45x60 cm.

4. Wrong choice of varieties

The fourth mistake is the wrong choice of varieties. This parameter is associated mainly with the summer period of high temperatures, which affect the quality of pollination of plants, and in recent years, with abnormal jumps in temperature.

In tomatoes, pollen ripens at night under temperature conditions within + 15 … + 28 ° С (the optimal indicators are + 15 … + 21 ° С). Pollination occurs during the day. If the thermometer readings rise above +28 ° C (only for some varieties +32 ° C), the pollen becomes sterile and pollination does not occur.

In extreme heat, tomatoes can be shaded by pulling a protective mesh over the plantings. Such a device does not completely solve the problem, but lowers the temperature by several degrees, which can be decisive. In greenhouses, the walls are painted white or a white covering material is pulled from the south side.

But it is easier to solve the issue by choosing varieties that manage to set fruits before the onset of hot days - early, or, when the heat subsides - medium late and late. There are also heat-resistant varieties and hybrids of tomatoes - these are "Heat-resistant", "Gaspacho", "Parodist", "Babylon F1", "Chelbas F1", "Aramis F1" and others. They can withstand heat up to + 35 ° C.

5. Lack of moisture

Very often you can find information that tomatoes do not need watering - they planted, mulched the soil and forgot. However, this approach is not justified for any climate and in hot summer conditions leads to a shortage of crops. With a lack of moisture, the flowers open, but they are not pollinated, but simply bloom and fall.

For this reason, tomatoes must not only be watered regularly, but, if necessary, at very high temperatures, provided with additional watering. Moreover, watering should not be superficial, but abundant, so as not to provoke superficial development of the root system.

It is possible to reduce the number of watering only from the moment of mass fruit setting. However, even here it should be regular. Regular watering provides the plants with adequate nutrition and somewhat compensates for the lack of moisture in the air.

6. Excessive air humidity

In greenhouses, on the other hand, excess moisture can be the cause of an insufficient amount of ovary. With moisture levels above 70%, pollen rolls off and crumbles - fertilization does not occur. Optimal indicators of the air condition for tomatoes are humidity in the range of 50–65%.

Therefore, regular ventilation of the greenhouse is necessary. In addition, open vents and doors give insects access to greenhouse plants, and air movements enhance pollination. Otherwise, tomato flowers must be shaken or forcefully pollinated.

7. Lack of nutrients

Often the cause of a bad ovary in tomatoes is a disturbance in plant nutrition. So, with a deficiency of potassium and phosphorus in tomatoes, very few buds are laid, iron - small flowers are formed, boron and calcium - flowers and ovary crumble, nitrogen - small (not corresponding to the variety) fruits are formed. An overabundance of certain elements is also dangerous. When overfeeding with nitrogen, the tomato drops its color from the fifth and higher brushes, with phosphorus - it forms very few fruits.

It is important how not to deprive tomatoes in the diet, and not to overfeed, as well as react in time to a deficiency of certain elements. Feed with complex fertilizers. Before flowering, add phosphorus and potassium in the form of "Double superphosphate" or "Potassium sulfate". If there is overfeeding, you can correct the situation with the help of artificial stress - remove unnecessary stepsons, pinch the tops of the heads, and tear off the lower leaves.

With boron deficiency, which is most often the reason that the flowers are not pollinated, it is necessary to treat the leaves and brushes with a solution of "Boric acid". Once at the very beginning of flowering (10 g per 10 l of water). The second is after 10-14 days. But at the same time, the solution should not fall on the tops of the bushes. You can also use one of the stimulants of fruit formation, for example, "Bud" or "Ovary".