Manual pollination of greenhouse tomato plants?

[Palmers-patch]

Hi All

My very first greenhouse tomatoes are growing well and have flowers on but it has just occurred to me that there will be no wind and fewer insects to pollinate than outside in the garden. Should i try and do this manually? If so - what is the best method? Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

[Alison]

You don't need to do anything but if you feel the need to get involved then you can use a small paintbrush to move the pollen around.

[mrscorpio]

Hi All

My very first greenhouse tomatoes are growing well and have flowers on but it has just occurred to me that there will be no wind and fewer insects to pollinate than outside in the garden. Should i try and do this manually? If so - what is the best method? Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

Hi
I am in the same situation. After reading up I have seem to have found out the following.
1, Give the plant a gentle tap this releases the pollen.
2, Leave the door open on hot days and nature will do the job.
3, (My friends dad does this) Get a water sprayer bottle and set the nozzle to a mist, then spray upwards from under the plant. Again this spreads the pollen.

Im sure more experienced GH growers will help us both.

[rustylady]

I just tap the plants in the mornings and evenings.

[Shadylane]

They're self pollenating - tapping the canes is enough and you probably don't even need to do that.

[Patchninja]

You really don't need to do anything at all.

[zazen999]

If you open the door then you get the insects in and they do the work of pollination and bug control for you. I had a few damselflies in one of my greenhouses yesterday - pop a few flowers in there to attract them and leave them to it.

[Flummery]

Most modern tomatoes have the 'interesting bits' sealed inside the little cone that stick out of the middle of the flower. This cones is the anthers, fused together. The pollen is inside these. the stigma - the female bit that recived the pollen - is also inside. Not much scope for an insect or a paintbrush, but taping the stems releases the plants own pollen onto its stigma.
Some of the heritage and beefsteak types have the middle of the stigma sticking out from the anther cone. In this case cross pollination can occur - with insect intervention.

[Madasafish]

I have grown tomatoes in a greenhouse for 28 years.. and never worried about pollination.. so did nothing.

Success every year suggests nothing is needed...

The lazy gardener wins again :-)