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Ok, I have a few questions for all the tomato groweres out there. I'm not going for big ones; I just have a few potted plants that I'm going to grow on the patio, and a few more in the garden. 1) Can tomatoes self pollinate? 2) Will my cherry and pear tomatoes cross and make weird fruit? 3) Should I pollinate them myself, and if so, do they have complete (male and female together) or incomplete (seperate male and female flowers) flowers? 4) What's a good fertilizing schedule to maximize fruit output? Any tips are welcome, thanks guys!

5/31/2003 10:14:45 AM

Md/ Usa

the answer is both tomatoes are both self polinating and
will cross to you will have bag blossoms to totally insure
pure seeds as for the current generation pollention effect size in a different way. the great the pollention the greater potential size in the right of tomato as well
as other factors. (2) yes in second generation. (3) yes
each flower is bisexual. (4) don't know.

5/31/2003 10:33:38 AM

Md/ Usa

the correct variety is also important.

5/31/2003 10:34:15 AM

Montoursville, PA

I like to use my fish and kelp plus 10-8-8 liquid every two days in rotation. One ounce per one gallon of water. Add your own home made tea in rotation if you have it. I use a sprinkling can held over plant. Let the natural drip line put the runoff where it needs to be. There are a lot of suggested tomatoe fertilization programs. This is the best one I have ever found or created.

Four years out of five I will have eating tomatoes by the 4th. of July using Early Girl and a home made cold frame giving me garden planting time of about the first of May.
The fifth year I get my plant frozen by pushing my luck.

Working to come into fruit earlier may as well be greenhouse work because it is difficult in the garden.

6/16/2003 2:01:55 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

How does one hand pollenate the tomatoe flowers?

I have plenty of blossoms so far and looks like only a few have taken with nature doing the job.

I have marigolds as a companion planting and wonder if they are driving away the beneficial pollenators.



My plants are getting big, and quickly. I used some osmocote 3X20 and little 3X16 granular @ planting time and have also been giving them foliar fish and kelp. These are the biggest tomatoe plants that I have grown to date.
I think the heat cloth has really helped. Just need some more solar power to push them along.

6/23/2003 12:31:13 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Sequoia gave me a great link -mrtomato.com.

Some interesting information there.....
The most interesting questions / answers that I thought were:

Q: Do I need lots of bees around to pollinate the flowers?
A: No. Wind will spread pollen around, too. If you're growing your tomatoes inside, blow on the flowers to pollinate them so they will produce fruit.

Q: What's the most common tomato problem and what's the solution?
A: Blossom end rot. You may notice a blackening on the bottom of ripening tomatoes. It's caused by irregular watering. As tomatoes ripen, they need a continuous supply of calcium from the soil. If the supply is interrupted for 30 minutes because of insufficient water to carry the calcium up the stem, then blossom end rot could result. Tomatoes should receive MODERATE amounts of water twice a week. Don't flood. Also, crush egg shells and mix into the soil to supply calcium as the shells disintegrate. Also, you may add powdered milk--which contains calcium--to your watering can and water around the tomatoes.


How about that last sentence ya'll??!!!
Seems we'll never get away from that topic.
Maybe I'll try it......on the tomatoes that is.

6/27/2003 6:10:00 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Hey Ceis,
A lot of people use milk on their vegetable plants to control mildew. Now they are not saying cut in to the main vine and wick it. But I dont want to go there. Shannon

6/28/2003 1:37:17 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I suppose blowing on the flowers is similar to tapping the vines. An old timer taught me to tap the vines when bees aren't plentiful. Supposed to dislodge pollin & trigger the production of more. Seems the plant can detect & respond to certain vibrations that are caused by the wing beating of the bees. I'm not sure if there is any evidence of this but is sounds reasonable & works well. We don't get many Honeybees here anymore. Too many mites. So we have to help some crops.

Steve

6/28/2003 8:58:10 AM