Container Tomatoes Tall/No Fruit, Squash Blooms/No Fruit? Nitrogen and Pollination Fixes

Container tomatoes (heirlooms) growing tall with little fruit and blossom end rot, plus yellow squash blooming but no fruit? Two different fixes needed.

Tomatoes: Too Much Nitrogen + Water Issues

• Tall, leafy, few flowers: Excess nitrogen. Switch to 5-10-10 or tomato formula.
• Blossom end rot (black bottoms): Inconsistent water → calcium transport failure. Not calcium deficiency.
• Fix: Deep, consistent watering (1.5"/week), mulch heavily, lime only if soil test shows pH <6.0.

Squash: Male Flowers First, Then Pollination

• Early blooms all male: Normal. Females appear 1–2 weeks later (tiny squash at base).
• If females present but dropping: Pollination failure. No bees in containers.
• Hand-pollinate: Dawn, Q-tip, male→female same day.
• Or: plant flowers (marigolds, zinnias) in adjacent pots to attract bees.

Container-Specific Tips

• Minimum 10 gallons for tomatoes, 5+ for squash
• Potting mix + compost, not garden soil
• Daily water check in heat
• Fertilize weekly at ½ strength

Tomatoes need less N, steady water. Squash needs pollinators. Both need bigger pots.