Spots on tomato truss blossoms
Is this anything to worry about I pulled them off straight away when I saw the black marks
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applestar
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- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Well, flower buds falling off means it wasn't pollinated/didn't set fruit. I can't say for sure that the blackening is significant without thinking about it some more.... (the photo isn't quite in focus so I can't see clearly)
The black marks could be bruising rather than disease -- definitely no spots, etc. on the rest of the plant?
Have the plant set many fruits? What has the weather been like? Has it been really hot? Have you seen bumble bees and the like on the blossoms?
-- one scenario I can think of is that it's been wet and/or humid so the pollen has been clumping, and the bee used undue force and roughness in trying to get the pollen to shake loose. They clutch the flower -- tiny bee claws hooked on the sepals -- and buzz with their wings. Bumblebees will also tear open the base of many blossoms.
HOWEVER, if the bees have been working the blossom it should have pollinated -- hence my guess that it's been hot and humid and the pollen clumped and blossoms dropped without setting fruit.
The black marks could be bruising rather than disease -- definitely no spots, etc. on the rest of the plant?
Have the plant set many fruits? What has the weather been like? Has it been really hot? Have you seen bumble bees and the like on the blossoms?
-- one scenario I can think of is that it's been wet and/or humid so the pollen has been clumping, and the bee used undue force and roughness in trying to get the pollen to shake loose. They clutch the flower -- tiny bee claws hooked on the sepals -- and buzz with their wings. Bumblebees will also tear open the base of many blossoms.
HOWEVER, if the bees have been working the blossom it should have pollinated -- hence my guess that it's been hot and humid and the pollen clumped and blossoms dropped without setting fruit.
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applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30543
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
OK I looked to see if you had indicated where you live and found another thread in which you said you PULLed off the blossoms. I've merged the two threads before duplicate discussion got started. Clarify the points I asked please.
...it it just me or is it better to crop photos like this -- some of them are in sharp focus enough to see your fingerprints!
...it it just me or is it better to crop photos like this -- some of them are in sharp focus enough to see your fingerprints!
Sorry it wasnt showing that youd messaged me on the other post so I thought id posted it in the wrong place. The plants have no black marks anywhere else but the buds and the flowers seem to be getting marks om them too. The weather has been really hot these past couple of weeks. The hudimity has been really low on my monitor so I don't think its that. I have noticed the plant isnt taking up as much water since this began so I'm watering it less. Which is wierd because its been warm and youd of thought if anything theyd need more water. I havent seen many bees on my plants but ive made sure to tickle the blossoms and cross polinate them. Also ive shaken the plants gently to help. I have a different variety next to this plant a tumbling tom and it isnt showing the same symptoms. The plant that is affected has about 15 fruits on some small some medium sized. The fruits began to grow fast but then as these symptoms grew they stopped growing as fast along with taking up less water I'm not sure if this has any relevance but anyway thank you for your help and I'm sorry about the pictures ill get some more for you