Tomatoes in hanging baskets, the pollination of

Does a tomato flower need to be pollinated in order for it to bear a fruit? I would've thought so but how do you do it in a greenhouse?

The tomatoes are 'Tumbling Toms' kindly given to me by Loli. I have about 30 toms on it but they seem to come in bursts, can't figure out why.

Just been home on my dinner break and put the basket near a big bush of nasturtiums, time will tell.

 

Leave the greenhouse door open for a bit as long as its not too windy. A passing bumblebee will call in and sort it all out for you.

 

Temperature & humidity are also factors affecting pollination.

I've got hanging baskets with tomatoes in, but growing outside (don't quite know what the neighbours think of them) and I'd suggest tapping the chains to release pollen, similar to tapping the canes of indoor cordon tomatoes.

P.S. There's always the electric toothbrush method:



I reckon my neighbours would really think me even more crazy if they saw me at the front of my house sticking an electric toothbrush into my tomato hanging baskets!

 

Mine have done the same nFrost...had a fair few off,then nothing... now waiting for the next batch to ripen....the basket is looking a bit beaten up but bear in mind my old Dad swapped the labels on some of my toms.....so in my basket there are 2 Tumbler F1's and a Beefmaster of all things....i just keep lopping the top off the BM...by the time i realised the 'problem' the roots were well and truly entwind so i just left it.....

 

Done that and it was all my fault for twice putting cordon toms in window boxes. At the plot I blame the rabbits for swapping labels.

 

Are they outside or the greenhouse @Loli I can't tell.

I ask because I've been tempted a few times to have a go at them outside, but despite modern varieties meaning it is no longer a definite no-no to grow toms outside in the UK, I'm still a bit sceptical. I don't think your much further south than I am so probably similar climate.

 

They're outside Clue.....i did keep them hanging in the GH untill the weather faired up but they are doing OK

 

Growing them outside has been no problem for me either, mines hanging near my front door with two nasturtiums in it too.

So they can be wind pollinated then?

 

Yes they can but just incase the bees haven't also had chance to help out it's always worth a bit of tapping as you pass by them

I'm glad my Dad didn't swap the labels in yours nFrost

 

Haha, very true. That'd be funny.