white flies and rotting

[aimeesh]

so today I first notice one of my only two tomatoes is rotting, and then I discovered a little white bug near it.
further investigation revealed it was a white fly, and I found black specks all over the leaves after taking a second look.

I'll link to photos to help explain and get appropriate advice on how to help my tomatoes survive this! it doesnt seem to be too severe so I'm hoping theres a way to get rid of the bugs, and prevent more rot... I would greatly appreciate any thoughts also about how I can get my plant to flower again? I just learned about pollunation

flies:
https://www.extertronic.com/image/exterminators-white-flies/exterminator-white-flies.jpg

black specks:
https://boards.cannabis.com/attachments/plant-problems/235123d1263238381-lots-little-tiny-black-bugs-need-help-bugs-003.jpg

rot:
https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/hot_topics/2009/images/08blossom_end_rot300.jpg

[rainbowgardener]

Tomatoes are self-pollinating, so you really don't have to worry about that. And pollination is something that happens after there are flowers; the flowers get pollinated. So if it is not flowering that has nothing to do with pollination.

There's really no way to make your tomato flower, except to be sure it has the right conditions for it. That would be plenty of sunshine, at least 6 hrs a day, if not more, plenty of water (but not waterlogged), fertile soil (but not too much nitrogen - high nitrogen fertilizers can result in a lot of green growth but little flowering/ fruiting) and appropriate temperatures. Temperatures between 65 and 80 are ideal. Above 90 or below 50, it may not flower or set fruit.

You didn't show any actual pictures of your tomatoes. Are they really rotting (soft and mushy)? Black specks could just be fly poop. Do the black specks wash off?

Whiteflies are leaf suckers and don't attack the actual fruit. They are harmful, because they leave a sticky residue behind which is a good growth medium for mold and diseases. You can treat whiteflies with insecticidal soap or a home made soap solution.

[aimeesh]

well the photos look exactly like what happened with my plants.

my tomatoes produced a ton of flowers but I think with lack of bees they couldn't pollinate well... I heard of buying an electric toothbrush to help progress this yourself?

I wasn't using any type of pesticide or plant food.... haha. I picked up some organic types yesterday.

I was going to wash the tomatoes to get rid of the flies, treat them with the soap, and feed them hoping for another go at some flowers if I'm lucky.... hoping to have ONE tomato before the season is over! haha

[rainbowgardener]

Tomatoes are self pollinating. They don't need bees, just a little bit of breezes. The electric toothbrush thing is mainly for people growing in greenhouses. If your tomatoes are outdoors, they shouldn't need any help with pollination.

If tomatoes are making a lot of flowers, but the flowers fall without setting fruit, this is called blossom drop. It's a stress condition, but it can be any of a variety of stresses - too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, etc. So you need to figure out what is stressing your plant. I wouldn't bother feeding it, until you do that and get that corrected. Otherwise adding fertilizer can be just another stress.

You haven't said what your temps have been like...