By Pat Dray
The Garden Spot
Pat Dray
So many of my gardening friends have noticed that their tomato plants are producing smaller and less tasty fruit this year. In my garden, the cherry tomatoes are plentiful, but I’ve only gotten one beefsteak this season.
If your tomatoes are smaller than expected this summer, several factors could be contributing to the issue. Tomato size is influenced by a combination of weather, soil and plant care. Although we can’t control the weather, we can do some things to improve our chances for large, tasty tomatoes.
We really had a tough start to the growing season. My plants were in the cold frame until the first week of June, when we finally had consistent nights over 50 degrees. Tomatoes thrive in warm, but not excessively hot, weather. Planting too early can slow down growth and pollination. Once everything was planted, the weather was either brutally hot or rainy. Excessive heat (over 85° Fahrenheit during the day or 70° Fahrenheit at night) can cause flowers to drop and fruits to stop growing. Tomatoes are self-pollinating, but our weather this season (too hot, too cold or very humid) probably affected pollination and led to fewer or smaller fruits.
Encouraging bees and gently shaking plants can help improve pollination if weather conditions are less than ideal. I guess the famous saying was spot on this year: “If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.”
When it’s either scorching hot or pouring rain, watering can become an issue. Just like with temperature extremes, too much or too little water can stress tomato plants and result in small fruit. Inconsistent watering, where the soil dries out and is then saturated, can also cause problems. Tomatoes need consistent moisture, so try to keep the soil evenly damp but not soggy. Mulching around the base of plants helps retain soil moisture and keeps roots cool.
Now that we’ve blamed the weather, there are also issues within your control which may have led to smaller, fewer fruits. Did you have your soil tested before planting? Poor or depleted soil can lead to small tomatoes. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and need a balanced supply of nutrients – especially nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Too much nitrogen can promote leafy growth at the expense of fruit, while deficiencies in phosphorus or potassium can reduce fruit size.
Did you plant in the right location? Sometimes the garden goes in the same spot year after year, even though the tree canopy has now grown to provide more shade. Tomatoes require at least 6-8 hours a day of sun and good air circulation. Crowded plants compete for water, nutrients and sunlight, leading to smaller fruits. Make sure you give them plenty of sunshine and fresh air.
In the meantime, our local farmer’s markets now have some delicious tomatoes.
Pat Dray is a past president of the Garden Club of Orange and a master gardener.