Question
I am growing tomato plants in a large container on my pool patio. The plants are absolutely beautiful and growing like weeds. However, they are producing no fruit at all. There are not even any blossoms even though the plants are full and about 4 feet tall. Is there anything I can do to promote fruiting?

Answer
Skip, when blossoms or young fruit fall off prematurely, it is usually an indication of one of two problems. Either your plants are not being fully pollinated, or they are receiving too much water.

If you do not have enough bees in the area, you can hand-pollinate the flowers of most vegetables by taking a Q-tip or small paint brush and transferring the pollen from the male flower to the female (the female always has a small fruit on the end). This must be done within one day of the female flower blossoming. However, all you need to do with tomatoes is gently shake the plant every couple of days to improve pollination. To attract more bees, grow sunflowers, marigolds, cosmos, or some other bright annual in the immediate area. Also, be sure to plant the tomatoes in a bed that gets at least 6 hours of full sun per day.

One other possibility is that you are overfertilizing the plants. Many of today's water soluble fertilizers are very high in nitrogen. This results in lush foliage but often at the expense of a smaller harvest. Look for a fertilizer higher in phosphorus and potassium. Many companies now market products formulated especially for tomatoes.

In summary, remember to continue fertilizing with a low nitrogen fertilizer once every other week, and only supplement enough water to ensure a depth of 1.5" per week. Water only once or twice per week but very deeply.  Shallow watering always results in poor root development and smaller harvests. Also, be sure to mulch heavily with straw or dried grass clippings around the plants to keep in the moisture and to reduce the need for watering.

Good luck, and please write again if you ever have any questions.

Regards,

Mike