The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Womble on September 01, 2010, 03:27:15 pm

Title: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: Womble on September 01, 2010, 03:27:15 pm

So we bought two small tomato plants in February, and planted them in a pot in our front porch. OK, to passers-by it looks as though we've started a cannabis farm, but we don't care.

However, although one of these plants has sprouted a really good crop, the flowers on the other one have never developed into actual fruits. Instead, the flowers just seem to dry up after a while and no further growth occurs, despite the two plants being in exactly the same place, and hence under the same conditions.

Any ideas what's going on folks? Lack of pollination perhaps?
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: little blue on September 01, 2010, 09:31:35 pm
could be... get out there with a soft brush!
any passing, p*ssing cats/dogs that favour one side?!
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: Fleecewife on September 02, 2010, 12:43:26 am
Sounds as if one isn't getting as much water/nutrients as the other.  Maybe you have a vine weevil larva in the pot eating the roots.
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: Womble on September 02, 2010, 02:11:11 pm

Thanks folks - I've just been out with Mrs Womble's finest pastry brush  ;), so we'll have to see if I've done it in time or not! 

Not sure what to do about the evil weevils, but once the plants are finished, I'll have a good look to see if that might have been the problem.

Cheers!

P.S. Has anybody got a good recipe for green tomato chutney?  ;D
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: northfifeduckling on September 02, 2010, 04:35:24 pm
usually it helps to just shake tomato plants to pollinate them, maybe the one is in a windstill corner?
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: little blue on September 02, 2010, 08:34:46 pm
Quote from: Womble on September 02, 2010, 02:11:11 pm
Has anybody got a good recipe for green tomato chutney?  ;D

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php/topic,9695.0.html
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: Womble on September 03, 2010, 12:05:50 am
Thanks Little Blue!
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: Greenerlife on September 03, 2010, 03:06:40 pm
Quote from: northfifeduckling on September 02, 2010, 04:35:24 pm
usually it helps to just shake tomato plants to pollinate them?

Oh that takes me back!  Many, many moons ago I spent an entire summer holiday with a little wand type thingy that buzzed which I had to carefully put behind each flowering frond of every tomato plant in acres and acres of greenhouses - all for 30p an hour!  Happy days!  ;D
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: Womble on September 10, 2010, 08:45:38 am

Well, it looks as though the pastry brush worked!  ;D  There are about 10 wee green tomatos showing now. Thanks folks!
Title: Re: A tale of two tomato plants.....
Post by: little blue on September 10, 2010, 06:51:06 pm
now all you need is enough sun to get them red, before its frosty at night again....   :)