Tomato Blossom Drop

By Jannine Cabossel, the Tomato LadyTomato blossom drop is common problem for tomato growers. It usually happens in June, our hottest month here in Santa Fe. After the tomato plants set flower blossoms but before they’ve had a chance to set fruit, if the temperature outside gets to 92°F or hotter, the blossoms dry up and fall off. This is normal for a tomato to do when it gets too hot. Basically they self-abort their blossoms.Temperature is critical during pollination, when a tomato is setting its blossoms. Once the fruit is set, tomato plants can handle hotter temperatures, but not during pollination. They will continue to produce new blossoms, and once the temperatures are below92°F, usually after the monsoons come in July, they will start to set fruit from the blossoms. This is frustrating for the tomato grower, as it pushes our harvest dates later.What can we do to prevent blossom drop? Nothing. We really are at the hands of mother nature. The funny thing is once they do pollinate (tomatoes are self-pollinating and wind-pollinated and don’t need pollinators) and they produce baby fruit, they do fine when it’s hot—it’s just while they are trying to set fruit that the temperature is critical. There is also a low temperature where they will drop the blossoms, but we usually don’t have to worry about that here.Last year in June we had intense heat, with every day reaching 92°F or warmer, and the blossoms just couldn’t set fruit. When the monsoons came, in late July, and it cooled down, they were able to set their fruit. Luckily for us, we had a long fall and were able to harvest before we got a freeze. So don’t despair, they will set fruit from their blossoms when the time is right. Hopefully the monsoons will come in July. For now, just surrender and chill out (if you can).