Green leaves are vital as they provide the tomato plant with energy. But when the foliage becomes excessive while the harvest remains meager, something is wrong. This is why tomatoes have a lot of leaves but only a few fruits.
In a nutshell
- possible causes: lack of light and heat, excess nitrogen, many stinging shoots
- choose the best location with min. 6 hours of sunshine per day
- Avoid mineral fertilizers, use organic fertilizers
- Pinch off stinging shoots regularly from June
Table of contents
- lack of sunlight
- Mistakes in fertilizing
- Too many greed
- frequently asked Questions
lack of sunlight
It is well known that tomatoes love the sun. Nevertheless, their need for heat and light is often underestimated. In order for a tomato plant to produce many fruits, it needs at least eight hours of direct sunlight a day. If it is too shady, it can wither or. tend to strong leaf growth. If possible, subsequently improve the site conditions to stimulate fruiting. A change of location is a good idea for tomato plants in pots. Large tomato plants in the bed are difficult to transplant. However, it is possible to thin out a little all around so that the sun's rays can reach them better.
Mistakes in fertilizing
Tomato plants are heavy feeder with a very high nutrient requirement. Many hobby gardeners therefore use fertilizer often and generously. But with this approach there is a risk of over-fertilization with nitrogen. If it is oversupplied with this element, the tomato puts its energy mainly into new leaves, but at the same time produces few fruits.
You can still do:
- Stop indiscriminate fertilizing immediately
- Insert fertilizer break
- do without mineral fertilizers
- organic fertilizers (eg. B. Compost, horn shavings, horse manure).
- alternatively use special tomato fertilizer
- always follow the recommended dosage
Tip: Have you over-fertilized a potted tomato plant? Replace the over-fertilized soil with new soil.
Too many greed
With some types of tomatoes, especially stick tomatoes, so-called stinging shoots are a big problem. These shoots grow out of the leaf axils and can quickly become very long and branched. They have many leaves but few flowers. This large leaf mass consumes many nutrients, which are then missing for the fruiting of the plant. You must therefore direct the energy of your tomato plants into fruit formation at an early stage.
That's how it works max out:
- Check tomato plants weekly from June
- Remove stinging shoots while they are still small
- clip off with your fingers, secateurs can damage the shoots
Tip: In addition to cutting off the stinging shoots, you should also remove some of the leaves so that the plant is better aerated and the fruits get more sun. In addition, more energy is then available for fruit formation.
frequently asked Questions
Why your tomatoes are shedding the blossoms must be specifically investigated on site. Because the causes can be very diverse. The weather may be very unfavorable. Sun can burn the pollen, rain can wash it away. Or there are care errors such as uneven watering with longer dry periods. Also Diseases and pests can cause bud drop. In the greenhouse Lack of pollination may be a possible cause.
Yes, tomatoes can be fertilized very well with comfrey manure. This plant manure not only provides all the important nutrients, but also has other advantages. With it, over-fertilization is impossible. In addition, their active ingredients protect the tomato plants from diseases and pests. Also the nettle manure is a good fertilizer for tomatoes. Experienced gardeners place a few chopped up comfrey or nettle leaves in the planting hole when planting.
If the living conditions of your tomato plants are optimal, you are dealing with a lack of pollination. Help out by shaking the flowering tomato plant every morning. In the long run it is worth with flowers rich in nectar and pollen encourage the settlement of bees and bumblebees.