Question about tomato pollenation ?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:47 pm

Hi, I'm new to this and was wondering about pollenation on tomatoes. Do bees need to be present to pollenate tomato plant?
I discovered my first tomatoes today on a plant!! The neighbors must have thought I was crazy, jumping up and down at 7 in the morning like a complete fool !!

Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:58 pm

Bees are helpful, but I think that tomatoes are mostly wind pollinated as the slightest shaking will cause the pollen to disburse.

Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:46 pm

Tomatoes are the original narcissistic fruit--they pollinate themselves, mostly by wind. Don't want, don't need nobody else!
As to jumping up and down at 7 am--you're a true gardener. That is called the "wonderful discovery in the garden" dance, and we all get to do it sometime!

Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:00 pm

lol...I just did that dance myself recently when I found my first mater growing! Yay! =) Regarding the pollination, wind will take care of it 90-95% of the time, but it doesn't hurt to do extra things like rub a q-tip gently on all the open flowers, gently flick the base flower stem, etc..

Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:35 pm

Vibration pollinated is a better term than wind pollination. Botanically, wind pollinated plants have pollen blown from one flower to another. With tomatoes a flower generally pollinates itself when a vibration shakes pollen loose to fall onto the stigma. The flower is designed for a bee to create an optimal vibrtion, which is why it is more economical to bring bees into a tomato greenhouse than to use mechanical vibrators on the plants.

Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:45 pm

I refuse to comment further on plant vibrators. ;-)

Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:35 pm

tn_veggie_gardner wrote:I refuse to comment further on plant vibrators.

Yes, Let's not go there... :shock:

Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:57 pm

OK, I guess you could use the official terms

"Recent studies designed to measure the effectiveness of electric pollination equipment such as so-called buzzers indicate the extent to which maximum pollen transference seems to be of outstanding concern. "

http://www.actahort.org/members/showpdf?booknrarnr=4_10

Mommy, Whats this? (embarrassing pause, red face, quick thinking...) Oh, thats just some electronic pollination equipment for the garden.

Most people just use an electric toothbrush though.