No tomatoes

[Jeff Thies]

Just one small tomato and one plant that looks like it has some "buds", many flowers still. My gardening neighbor has many fruits on his. We have some of the same varieties.

That makes me wonder why, and what I might change.

Here is where we differ. He gets an extra few hours of direct sunlight. Mine probably get more even watering (drippers) and have gotten some fish emulsion fertilizer. He has many more pollinators. My yard is cooler than his, so it's not that the temps are too high (although that may be on the way!).

I've heard some anecdotal talk that high N and watering can suppress fruiting. I have seen plants in terrible shape that have lots of fruit, so it seems that stress helps set fruit. I would think the N would have more to do with smaller or fewer fruit, not none.

So, I think I should hold off on the Fish Oil and shake the plants, but should I do anything else?

Cukes are looking good though, and I've got squash on the way. I've been the go between with the flowers.

Jeff

[Bill who putters]

I'd hazard a guess the placing of all your eggs in one basket may matter. By this I mean if you had 30 plants you may cull some of them for looking like they want to be culled. Small numbers of plants can yield false data as the plant is just one of a distribution of Y. Some Die most OK some unbelievable

upside down U graphic here.

Musing

[Billy]

I think you answered your own question:

1) He gets an extra few hours of direct sunlight. 2) My yard is cooler than his.

The fact that you have flowers means that you haven't over watered and fertilized. Too much water and fertilizer, and plants sometimes think it is "eternal summer", and don't get about preparing for the future, but you have flowers. That said, I'd lay off on the fertilizer, and be sure that the soil is dry down to one inch before you water.

I'd pinch off the adventitious buds that pop out between the branches and the stems, to try and direct the plants energy into producing fruit. You may want to check the soil temperature to make sure it is around

70°F, but I don't think that is your problem in Atlanta.

I get 5 hr. decent sun, plus some broken sunshine, and we usually get a good yield, not as good as if we got 8 hr. of full sun, but part of gardening is squeezing the last bit that you can out of your garden. Anybody can have a great garden with a long season, full sun, and good soil. If your garden lacks any of these qualities, then you need a gardener;O)

[The Cook]