Blossom Drop on Giant Belgium

14 years ago

I started my tomatoes from seed (TGS) and planted on May 10:

Black Cherry - most vigourous, fruit set this week

Black From Tula - smallest, fruit set this week

Evergreen - fruit set this week

Dr Wyche's Yellow - fruits set last week...looks to be a big producer

Neves Azorean Red - first to set fruit last week

Giant Belgium - lots of big beautiful blossom..started setting first week of June...blossom drop on all

Just curious, is Giant Belgium more prone to blossom drop? Conditions really are quite identical for all plants, so wondering why all are setting fruit and this one just can't seem to do it.

And like most weather is weird here, though I think we've been able to escape the complete extremes...no heavy rainfall about 1 inch or less a week. Humidity and heat just started yesterday.

Like I said just kinda curious...but sure hoping at least one fruit sets so I can try it!

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Comments (9)

Jennie Sims
14 years ago
The bonus seed packet I got from TGS was Giant Belgium. Not wanting anything to go to waste, I grew and planted out about 7 plants. This is the first year I have grown Giant Belgium, so I am not an expert on this variety. However, mine are loaded with fruit. At least 3 different sets of fruit on each plant in various sizes from tennis ball to ping pong ball. And all the new blossoms developing little pea size fruits. They are even in the more shaded portion of my garden than my other varieties. Just based on my experience, it isn't the variety that is the problem. But can't offer any more help than that. I am anxious to try this variety also.
tsheets
14 years ago
Not much help here, but, I also tried one of those from a freebie pack from TGS. I'm a little behind you, it sounds like. Of the different varieties I planted, all but the smallest (re-started several seeds due to germination issues) plants have blossoms, but, I have no fruit yet. But, the Giant Belgium is the biggest plant I've got right now.
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No, I'm not telling you that anytime the temperature falls below 55, all pollination will fail. If daytime temps are below 90-95, tomatoes can set fruit during the day regardless of what happens at night (I'm sure there's a minimum daytime temperature -- perhaps 55? -- but no one cites that). Also, regardless how hot it is during the day, tomatoes can set fruit at night as long as overnight temps fall below 75 but not 55. So if it's too hot during the day, you might be able to have fruitset at night, and if it's too hot (or cold) at night, you might still have fruitset during the day. And of course it gets more complicated because of microclimates (your brick house may give off extra heat, so tomatoes planted against it might not be able to set fruit at night despite temperatures that should be favorable; etc.). And each variety has its own particular temperature limits. And temps might be fine but the humidity too high. jrslick uses misters in his high tunnels to lower daytime temperatures. Some people use misters outdoors around the patio or deck to make that area more comfortable. I've read of SW desert people using misters and/or shadecloth to cool their tomato plants; you could try that and see what happens (and what the cost is). jrslick mentioned his misters on this thread: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0616230323869.html?5 I think he is also active on the Vegetables and Market Gardening forums.
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windclimber
14 years ago
lm:
Grew Giant Belgian last year and had the same trouble. I know it was not the seeds as I got them from Dr. Marvin Miesner, giant tomato expert:)

Humidity was the issue for last years blossom drop but was strange that after it broke, I didnt get a lot of second blossoms if any... that I remember.

We got about three fruit off the entire plant before it succommbed to some disease, it was the first of three we lost. I think some of the giant varietys are sort of persnickity..........(Is that really a word?)
digdirt2
14 years ago
We grow GB every year and it is no more prone to blossom drop than any other variety IME. Blossom drop is often all a matter of timing, air temps, N levels, humidity, etc. NOT the variety.

Trying to compare different varieties on most aspects of tomato growing is a waste of your valuable time. ;) Check out the FAQ here on Blossom Drop, insure that your GB is not suffering any of those stress factors, and then just be patient. It will come through for you.

Dave
andy_toms
14 years ago
Dave,

I know you're talking about your experience and not any factual studies. Do you really not notice any differences between varieties?

The only reason i ask is because i'm seeing 3 of my varieties suffering from blossom drop more than others.
They are in the same raised bed growing in the same rows as the varieties that are turning every blossom into a tom as we speak. All environmental factors being equal the only thing i can think of is "varietal" (is that even a word?) differences.
digdirt2
14 years ago
Do you really not notice any differences between varieties?

No, you misunderstand me, sorry. I notice lots of difference between varieties. That is why I say you can't or shouldn't try to compare varieties and draw any reliable conclusions.

Every spring we get all kinds of posts on what is wrong with my variety X plant? It won't set fruit when all my other varieties a, c, f, and k are fruiting. I'm saying that is not a valid comparison. Each variety is genetically different and may be affected by different stress factors than the other varieties. So the fact that 4 of them set fruit and 1 didn't is little more than coincidence for those 4 and doesn't mean anything is wrong with the 1 that didn't.

Comparing them is an apples to oranges. Different DTM, different soil provisions even if right next to each other, different size plants, different clustering of blooms, different size fruit, different stamen and/or pistil size, etc., etc.

Now if you have 3 Bloody Butchers growing side by side and 1 of them refuses to set fruit while the other 2 are loaded you may have a problem. But you can't validly compare BB to Cherokee Purple. ;)

Does that help clarify what I meant?

Dave
andy_toms
14 years ago
Dave,
Thanks for clarifying, and i agree.
lmschneider
Original Author
14 years ago
Blossoms still dropping.....but I'll be patient.

Thanks for the input.
Bets
14 years ago
One day will probably not make a difference since the tomato's sexual cycle (waves of blossoms) is about 21 days. If you clipped every blossom no mater how small from your tomato plants, it would be 21 days, give or take, before you got more blooms.

If there was something that caused the flowers to become infertile (heat, cold or what ever) it will be at least a few days before you get blossoms that will not drop. I am not sure how early in the life of a blossom the fertility is affected, so I can't say for sure what that number of days might be.

Bets

Blossom Drop on Giant Belgium

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Jennie Sims

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Blossom Drop on Giant Belgium

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