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What's Wrong With Your Tomatoes?

What's Wrong With Your Tomatoes?


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Many of the recommended varieties are not as large as some other varieties. The huge beefsteak tomatoes are larger but they mature much later and in some cases do not have as good of disease resistance. Early Girl, Jetstar, Fantastic and Celebrity are all medium sized tomatoes. Early tomato fruit from the spring garden is often small, oddly shaped or of poor quality. Low temperatures during bloom and pollination cause this condition. Fruit that set when temperatures are 55 degrees F. or below often are odd-shaped and of poor quality. The blooms these tomatoes develop from often are abnormal because of temperature conditions and grow into abnormal, odd-shape fruit.

Excess heat and wind also take their toll. Anything that interferes with the growth of the plant also affects the size of the plant. Anyone growing plants has also noticed that the weather has been hot and dry and that can affect the growth of the plants. Diseased plants are also likely to have smaller fruit. Any of the wilt diseases or curly top makes the fruit ripen prematurely at a small size.

The answer to the problem is try again next year. If you want really big tomatoes stake them and select some of the giant beefsteak types.

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