Why Are My Tomato Flowers Rotting?

Pollination

• The primary purpose of tomato flowers is to pollinate and become pollinated in order for the plant to set fruit and propagate. When the flowers of the tomato plants have not become pollinated, they will die in order for the plant to produce new, younger flowers in the hope that they will become pollinated. Frequently, the male blossoms of the tomato plant will die and fall off after a period of time, even when they have pollinated a female flower, as their job has been done.

Irrigation

• Irregular irrigation will cause extra stress to the tomato plant. The plant may respond by dropping its flowers or the flowers may wilt and eventually rot. This is because when the tomato plant becomes stressed, the plant tries to conserve energy and resources. Water your tomato plant so that the soil stays routinely moist and damp when touched. It is better to water your tomato plants deeply less often rather than watering them only moderately every day.

Temperature

• Extreme temperatures will cause the blossoms of the tomato plant to wilt and eventually die and rot. Rotting will be especially prevalent when high temperatures combine with extreme humidity. The humid weather will cause further stress to the tomato plant, and will create conditions in which the wilted flower is more susceptible to rot. Tomato plants drop their flowers in extreme temperatures and humidity levels as a means of conserving resources.

Fruit and Flower Production

• If the tomato plant sets a large number of flowers or fruit within a short period of time, the blossoms may die as a protective instinct on the part of the tomato plant. When the tomato plant has overextended its resources and would be unable to sustain the healthy development of all of the flowers or fruit it has produced, the plant will kill some of the flowers in order to regain equilibrium.