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"nightshade" flowers are not opening in Zone 4

 
pioneer
Posts: 84
Location: Douglas County, WI zone 4a 105 acres
13
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Everything is LUSH, and there are tons of flower buds on peppers, tomatoes, eggplant.
Eggplants have 4 fruits out of 9 plants + couple flowers plus buds, banana pepper is fruiting; flower buds - few are open, but no fruit on jalapeno, bell, cayenne, etc.
Tomatoes might actually be doing better, though the fruiting seems slow.
There is NO flower-drop on anything, nor any pests. I see pollinators, and the squash, etc nearby are fruiting.
Have "pinched"/pruned ALL during this last week - regular watering/rain. Full sun all day on all these plants. NO commercial fertilizer - just compost and a little azomite to start.
We had very late freeze June 13, but the plants I saved/made it thru came back gangbusters.
Am I just messed up on MY timing because of late start?
Thinking not, because flower buds have been visible for month, but won't open.
VERY disconcerting - hope you guys have some advice/thoughts.
Happy harvesting to all!

 
steward
Posts: 15505
Location: Northern WI (zone 4)
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I have tons of cherry tomato flowers and green fruit but very little fruit of other tomato styles.  I have a dozen or more eggplants on 9 plants plus some flowers.  Peppers have been weird.  Of my bells, jalapenos, cayennes and Jimmy Nardellos, we're getting good fruit from the Jimmy Nardellos but nothing else.

I haven't noticed the flower bud thing, I'll have to go check.
 
pollinator
Posts: 2538
Location: RRV of da Nort, USA
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Mary Beth and Mike,     I was JUST thinking about starting the same kind of post.  Northern Tier, Zone 4 (and farther north?) North America.  Lush Luxuriant growth of pretty much all plants, and tomatoes have a bazillion fruits......all small and green.  More concerning (although to be fair they've always proved me wrong and ripened at the last minute in years past) is the fact that the Septoria leaf spot is setting in on the leaves rather early.  Normally the Septoria is coincident with fruit ripening....when the fruits are a mature size!  But they are too young to ripen just now and I don't want to have to battle a Septoria infection in the plot this early in the summer. :-(  

I too have been wondering about the late start this year, but also recall others saying that a heat wave can actually set you back on tomatoes, despite their reputation for being heat-loving.  The Hungarian Wax peppers are doing pretty good and zucchini and picking cukes pretty good also, even if a little late.  That said, we have all of August ahead, so I'm hoping a catching up is on tap in the weeks to come.  More to come.....thanks for starting this thread!
 
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