6 Reasons Why Your Tomatoes Grew Too Small This Year, and How to Fix It

Tomatoes are a great place to start if you’re looking to grow your own produce, but that doesn’t mean they’re not without their own issues. Making it through the growing phase, having ducked and dodged blight, hornworms, blossom end rot, and all the other problems a tomato plant might run into can feel like a success of its own.

Which is why it’s extra disappointing when the fruit is just… small. Here are six reasons why your tomatoes are too small, and all the ways you can correct them for a bountiful harvest in the future.

Extreme Drought or Heat

Most varieties of tomato require full sun, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily fit for extreme conditions. Heat and drought are the number one reason why tomato fruits fall short of their expected size.

It’s important to keep an eye on soil moisture levels and keep plants well-watered with at least 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. The soil should never dry out; this will lead to quick wilting.

Tomatoes don’t typically flourish in temperatures above 85°F, but we also can’t help where we live. If your local temperatures consistently rise above this, consider investing in a shade cloth, and increase watering to twice daily. Consider planting in a container, where the plants can be moved into the shade—or just out of harsh, direct sun—as needed.

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Poor Pollination

If pollinating by hand, this should occur at least every other day during the growing season. If you’re relying on pollinators to get the job done, consider making your yard more pollinator-friendly: plant attractive plants, provide a source of water (not stagnant), and decrease potential predators like bats or pets.

Too Many Fruits

It’s important to pick fruits as they ripen; leaving tomatoes on the vine can not only cause splitting and other damage to the fruit itself, but also increase the number of fruits a single plant has to put effort into growing and supporting.

You’ll know tomatoes are ready to pick when it is a vibrant shade of its expected color, has a shiny look, feels tender, and comes off the vine easily.

Too Much Nitrogen

An excess of nitrogen in the soil has been known to cause smaller fruits. If you’re unsure about your soil composition, you can buy a DIY test kit to gain insight into what’s happening below the surface. If nitrogen levels are too high, consider working in a lower nitrogen fertilizer to balance it out.

Pests

Pests cause stress on plants that divert their energy to healing and surviving, instead of thriving and producing delicious, juicy tomatoes. If you spotted some common tomato pests hanging around your plants as they grow, don’t be surprised if your fruit comes out a bit small at the end of the season.

Next year, keep a close eye on early warning signs to fight these infestations in their early stages. Watering by hand keeps you close to the plant on a regular basis and makes it easier to spot problems earlier.

Plant Diseases

The same goes for plant diseases as for pests. Know the early signs of what different common tomato diseases look like, and you’ll be able to help your plant fight it off early.