Loading…
16
Showerthought: My tomato plants grow lots of leaves but few fruits. What gives?
I planted tomatoes in my garden this year, and the plants are huge with green leaves. However, I only got a couple of small tomatoes so far. I water them regularly and they get plenty of sun. Is there a trick to getting more tomatoes? I want to use them for salads and sauces.
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
grant527mo ago
Check your fertilizer type because too much nitrogen makes huge, leafy plants but stops fruit from setting. You might be using a general plant food that's great for lawns or leaves but bad for tomatoes. Switch to a fertilizer where the middle number (phosphorus) is higher, like a 5-10-5 mix, to help with flowers and fruit. Also, make sure you're not over-watering, as constant wet soil can stress them and reduce blooming.
3
viola_fisher237mo ago
Did you notice if the flowers were dropping off without making any tomatoes? Grant and Ellis are completely right about the fertilizer causing this. I made the exact same mistake with my plants last year and felt so confused. They grew like crazy with huge leaves but only gave me a couple tiny fruits. I finally realized I was using a lawn feed that was packed with nitrogen and nothing for the blooms. Switching to a tomato specific food made all the difference for getting actual tomatoes to grow. It's amazing how such a small change can fix the whole problem.
1
ellis.casey7mo ago
Wait, your plants are huge and green but barely any tomatoes? That's wild. Grant is totally right about the fertilizer thing, it tricks you because the plant looks so healthy. I made that same mistake once and felt so dumb when I realized I was basically growing tomato leaf salad instead of actual tomatoes. Definitely check what you're feeding them.
2