If your tomato plants are healthy but not producing fruit, there are a few common reasons why this might be happening. Let’s troubleshoot:
1. Too Much Nitrogen If your plants are lush and full of leaves but no flowers or fruit, they might be getting too much nitrogen (often from fertilizers). Try switching to a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer to encourage flowering.
2. Lack of Pollination Tomatoes are self-pollinating, but they still need a little help sometimes. If there’s not much wind or bee activity, you can shake the plant gently or use a small paintbrush to transfer pollen between flowers.
3. High Temperatures If it’s too hot (above 85°F/29°C during the day or 70°F/21°C at night), your tomato flowers might drop before setting fruit. Providing some shade in extreme heat can help.
4. Not Enough Sunlight Tomatoes need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If they’re not getting enough, consider relocating them or trimming nearby plants that may be shading them.
5. Pruning Issues Overgrown foliage can block sunlight and airflow. Prune suckers (the little shoots between the stem and branches) to help the plant focus on fruit production instead of excessive leaf growth.
6. Lack of Flowers No flowers means no fruit! If you’re not seeing flowers at all, try adding bone meal or a phosphorus-rich fertilizer to encourage blooming.
