skip to main content

Growing Tomatoes

tomatoes are too small

random.hamilton

15 years ago

I am currently growing the following types :

Parks Whoppers, Burpee Big Boys, Better Bush, Lemon, Beefmaster and Sweet 100. They were planted in clay soil mixed with Miracle grow soil mix. They were bought from two different stores and planted back around the 2nd week of May. They grew slowly then a growth spert and now they have all tomatoes but they are all half the size they should be and turning. They don't seem to be filling out either. I don't have very much money to buy fertiliers or "store" fixes. I do have a lot of time on my hands though. I also have green beans, sweet white corn and peppers growing in the same garden that could benefit from this advice. PLEASE HELP> THANKS>

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

oldroser
15 years ago
Probably too late for a cheap fix this year (that would involve watering with something like rapidgro) but digging in more organic material would add nutrients as well as retaining more moisture. I use 5-10-5 on veggies - a farm fertilizer which is the least expensive available and I get it in a 40 pound sack on sale in fall (has to be kept dry). Though I use a lot of compost, I also ring each tomato with a few tablespoons of fertilizer right after they are set out and do the same for squash. Row crops are side-dressed once the seedlings get their true leaves - a thin line of fertilizer laid down alongside the row. Beans don't need that.
banjo71
15 years ago
banjo71, donnora43@yahoo.com I planted "Better Bush" plants By "Bonnie". The plants have not grown as tall as usual, and the tomatoes are turning ripe while the are still very small! What can do to save them?
Related Discussions
Privite eye peas go undercover.
Q
Comments (6)
Ruthieg tx The peas are under covers to insure no cross pollination. I have raely seen any effects of cross pollination in peas even when planted side by side But I always keep around 50ft isolation distance between varieties. This year I invested in a large quantity of insect netting, that I have been using and experimenting with, to allow me to grow out more beans and peas and melons without compromizing the seed. I had a backlog of older varieties that hve been given to me and I felt it was my responsibility to grow them out in isolation to keep the variety going. So I bought the netting and have 6 common beans, 6 Limas, 9 field peas, and 6 watermelons all growing undercover to exclude pollinators and to obtain data on caging. Check out my other post on Isolation cages.Another benifit of the netting on the peas is deer control I can successfully keep the deer out of the garden on the other crops and peas until the peas ripen, once they begin to turn its a battle to keep them out. Rodger
...See More
Beefsteak tomatoes are TOO small
Q
Comments (4)
As far as I know the tomato plant requires a lot of sunlight. If you don't have at least a good six hours then the plant doesn't produce it's maximum yield. That may be the problem. Everybody else is right in that the plant isn't what you think it is. I've encountered that problem when I bought plants from big box stores instead of a nursery. They don't even keep them watered most of the time. Best of luck.
...See More
Tomatoes are ripening way too small
Q
Comments (41)
What varieties are you all growing? What is the expected size listed (usually in ounces)? I've only seen one person mention varieties, and it sounded like they might be having a heat issue. No one has posted any pictures ... Details! Please! I've grown may varieties of tomato all in pots with no size issues, and I don't just do dwarf varieties ... I've had smaller plant size from using a smaller pot, but fruit is still generally in range, so let's look at other possible reasons. Small tomatoes are likely either a stress or pollination issue. Watering issues will stress a plant ... drastic will cause the whole plant to suffer but borderline may just cause stress that dwarfs or cracks the fruit. Not enough sun will stress the plant and usually cause excessive foliage trying to gather energy from the insufficient light and fewer, smaller fruit trying to conserve energy; these may be seedy due to the plant trying reproduce more efficiently. Heat is a common stresser ... tomatoes don't tolerate cold, but they're not great in heat either ... the fruit ripen too quickly if they set at all. Pests, disease, and and/or improper nutrient level/balance can cause all sorts of issues, too too, but I'd start by looking at water, sun, and heat. Pollination is usually taken care of my insects/pollinators (you know, bees ...) ... if flowers aren't properly pollinated, they won't create proper fruit, either dropping or creating tiny, seedless fruit (no pollen = useless to the plant -> abort mission tomato ... try again with a new flower).
...See More
Help beef tomatoes always too small
Q
Comments (1)
Size of the fruit is primarily determined by the genes of the variety so without knowing the name of the variety those fruit may be perfectly normal. In addition container grown plants will almost always produce smaller fruit than those same plants if grown in ground. It all depends on the size of the container. If too small the roots are compressed and the plant is stressed. The bigger the container the better and many recommend using nothing smaller than 10 gallons. Dave
...See More
elkwc
15 years ago
There are several things that I've seen cause smaller fruits. Of course one fertilizer has been mentioned. And here anyway manure is the cheapest way to go. About anyone with livestock will give you all you want.
Then stress can cause them to be smaller. We are in a drought with hot dry winds and high temps. Most tomatoes are running smaller than normal. Still better than none. In this case about the only thing I've found is if in containers move them where they have afternoon sun. Otherwise eat, enjoy and wait till next year for the big ones. JD
james_in_lapine
15 years ago
I gardened at Ft. Bragg in 85-87. Love that red clay (NOT!!!), I remember tilling in about 4 inches of potting mix and using Miracle Grow. I also found a huge pile of old grass clippings out in the wood line and mulching with that.
That is about all I remember about garden prep for N.C.
richtortora
15 years ago
I train my tomatoes to grow up a singe stalk by quickly pinching off any new branches. This can only be done to indeterminate varieties. This vectors the energy to the tomatos and not the plant. Towards the end of the season when the plants reach over 8 feet I can no longer reach them, so I end up with lots of smaller ones. I only use free animal manure or free compost.
troad
15 years ago
Random,
You might try a Feed store if there are any nearby. Alfalfa in pellet form about ten bucks for 50 lbs.
Add some molasses and water to make a foliar tea. Use the leftovers as a soil additive. See if they have any spoiled or loose alfalfa hay from broken bales that might be had for free. Get your own compost pile started. Check out the local big box store like Home Depot or Lowes (if they are in your area). Lowes often has garden products discounted late Summer to early Fall. I got bags of Epsom Salts and bottles of fish fertilizer for around a buck each last year. Might not help this year but you can get a start on imroving next years garden. Check out this website for some
interesting uses of molasses. The author grows a different "product". But these guys are excellent and informed "gardeners". Good luck.
http://www.gardenscure.com/420/organics/95401-molasses-sweet-organic-goodness.html

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

COLOR 10 Reasons to Make a Splash With Tomato Red

By Laura Gaskill

You won’t duck at these tomatoes. See how bold red shades can play up architecture, light up a dark spot and add drama

LIFE Kitchen Traditions: Tomato Season Meets a Family Legacy

By Tiffany Carboni

Somewhere a Sicilian great-great-grandmother is smiling at a bowl of American-made sauce

ARCHITECTURE Houzz Tour: Fresh Ideas in a Former Tomato Packing Shed

A formerly metal-clad structure is now a beautiful wood home designed to capture the light and preserve open space

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Ways to Grow Edibles in Small Places

By Matt Kilburn

No big backyard? Join in the grow-your-own fun with these small-space ideas for planting vegetables, fruits and herbs

GARDENING GUIDES Lush, Foodie Abundance in a Small Urban Garden

This modest backyard garden provides its owner with fruit and vegetables all year round, thanks to an innovative low-maintenance approach

SMALL KITCHENS 12 Genius Design Moves for Small Kitchens

By Natasha Saroca

These space-enhancing tricks can make compact cooking zones look and feel larger

Guest Picks: Herb Gardens for Small Kitchens and Gardens

By Liza Hawkins

Up the wall, easily portable or beautifully decorative, these solutions help even the smallest kitchens and balconies get growing

ENTERTAINING 8 Stress-Busting Tips for Hosting Small Gatherings

By Laura Gaskill

Make entertaining easy with these ideas for casual get-togethers

FARM YOUR YARD Houzz Call: Home Farmers, Show Us Your Edible Gardens

By Stacy Briscoe

We want to see where your tomatoes, summer squashes and beautiful berries are growing this summer

Sponsored

Nova Design Build

Custom Premiere Design-Build Contractor | Hilliard, OH

More Discussions

Has anyone heard of a storage tomato? Looking at Giallorosso di Crispi

4

"Purple" tomatoes?

4