Re: [gardeners] Tomatoes with black fungus
margaret lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 22 Jul 1999 09:01:59 -0600
At 12:20 PM 7/22/99 -0300, you wrote:
>Hi Margaret
>
>Reminds me that I meant to ask why, for the first time in 8 years, I seem
to have few toms on my plants. I planted the same seeds as last year,
(fresh seed purchased last year and kept sealed in container in fridge).
The plants and really lush - perhaps too lush - already 5 ft. tall. I
added some tomato fertilizer in each hole when I transplanted them. There
are lots of bees around, have been watering adequately and have mulched
with grass clippings - same procedures as I used in previous years. Bro
and SIL were visiting last evening and remarked on the lack of toms too.
>
>Any ideas? I usually have so many toms that I give them away by the bagfull.
>
>Penny in Halifax, N.S. - perplexed
>
It's usually weather or fertilizer-related, Penny. Hot nights will cause
blossoms to drop, and daytime temps over 95 will too. Fertilizer heavy on
the nitrogen side will cause the vine/bush to go to foliage rather than
fruit. If you fertilize again, I'd go heavy on the P and K and extremely
light on the N. Margaret