Posted: 8/21/2010 9:14:42 AM EDT
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O.K., I started my tomatoes this year from seed in my folks greenhouse. Everything went fine, and the transplanted ones in the garden are going great guns. While I was in the greenhouse I stuck a few extras in the ground for her. Now, the ones inside have big healthy vines, and lots of blossoms, but very few develop into tomatoes. The blossom appears, stays for a few days, then wilts and dies. She also has numerous volunteers that came up, and they are doing the same thing.
The only thing I can figure out, is that the plants aren't pollinating. I even tried plucking a blossom, and rubbing it against a few others. Felt like a pervert  and still no fruit!
Any ideas? |
. I feel like a pimp every spring.
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Quoted:
O.K., I started my tomatoes this year from seed in my folks greenhouse. Everything went fine, and the transplanted ones in the garden are going great guns. While I was in the greenhouse I stuck a few extras in the ground for her. Now, the ones inside have big healthy vines, and lots of blossoms, but very few develop into tomatoes. The blossom appears, stays for a few days, then wilts and dies. She also has numerous volunteers that came up, and they are doing the same thing. The only thing I can figure out, is that the plants aren't pollinating. I even tried plucking a blossom, and rubbing it against a few others. Felt like a pervert and still no fruit!
Any ideas? I've hand-pollinated hydroponic tomatoes with a paintbrush. It worked. |
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Quoted:
I've hand-pollinated hydroponic tomatoes with a paintbrush. It worked. What did you do, just take a hobby brush and swirl it around in each blossom? Thanks to everyone for the replies. I don't think it's the heat, as mine have done fine outdoors, despite weeks of 90 degree weather. I strongly suspect that teh electric exhaust fans in one end of the green house, are sucking the pollen off the plants. That's the only thing that makes sense to me. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I've hand-pollinated hydroponic tomatoes with a paintbrush. It worked. What did you do, just take a hobby brush and swirl it around in each blossom? Thanks to everyone for the replies. I don't think it's the heat, as mine have done fine outdoors, despite weeks of 90 degree weather. I strongly suspect that teh electric exhaust fans in one end of the green house, are sucking the pollen off the plants. That's the only thing that makes sense to me. Exactly that, yes. I'd do one plant, then move to the next, pollinating the first plant a 2nd time at the end. The brushes were nothing special.....a 3 pack of tiny brushes that seemed to be natural bristles. They were just hobby brushes. |
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Quoted:
O.K., I started my tomatoes this year from seed in my folks greenhouse. Everything went fine, and the transplanted ones in the garden are going great guns. While I was in the greenhouse I stuck a few extras in the ground for her. Now, the ones inside have big healthy vines, and lots of blossoms, but very few develop into tomatoes. The blossom appears, stays for a few days, then wilts and dies. She also has numerous volunteers that came up, and they are doing the same thing. The only thing I can figure out, is that the plants aren't pollinating. I even tried plucking a blossom, and rubbing it against a few others. Felt like a pervert and still no fruit!
Any ideas? A couple of things. Yes, it's best to keep your greenhouse temperature between 65 - 85. They don't like the temp extremes especially when growing the fruit. Pollinating your plants shouldn't be that great of a hurdle. In nature tomatoes self pollinate because of the breezes moving the plants around and that dislodges the pollen to be caught by themselves. Insects do their share as well. In the greenhouse you first should have air circulating enough to shake the plants slightly. We have a ceiling fan and an evaporative cooler (remember temps) to keep things moving. Generally, that seems to be enough for our tomatoes. We have also gone through the routine of shaking the plants at least once a day when the flowers are ready. For us this involves going around and tapping the guy wire that the plants are strung up to thereby shaking the pollen loose. It's just enough to give a mild shake to the plants and only takes a couple of minutes. I don't think you really need the special pollinators. We have a hydroponic system and adhere to the directions as far as nutrient balance and concentration. I wouldn't say for sure but your problem could be related to a nutrient issue. I couldn't begin to guess that one though. You might find someone who could tell you if too much or too little of something could inhibit pollination. Good luck. gk |