Heard of "Spanking" your tomato plants?

[IndyGerdener]

I ran across this video of someone "Spanking" their tomato plants to promote growth and fruiting. He rolled up a newspaper and swatted his plants from the bottom to the top. Does this process really work?

[rainbowgardener]

Seems a little excessive. If it is indoor plants, gently shaking the plant helps spread the pollen around to make sure flowers get pollinated. Also for indoor plants, either putting a fan on them or shaking the stems a bit now and then helps strengthen the stems.

If they were outdoor plants, there would be no reason in the world to do it. Nature takes care of everything.

[webmaster]

Nature takes care of everything.

[gixxerific]

Funny you say that.

I rent my garden out to a Brazilain Martial Arts dojo. They use my plants as training dummys. They get practice my plants get pollinated. Everything comes up roses.

[PunkRotten]

I have read that abusing your plants will stress them and they will produce more fruit and get unripe fruit to ripen sooner. I think that is what the OP was getting at. I never tried it though.

[gixxerific]

But really even in the oudoors I will give them a shake from time to time. Tomatoes as they are do not need much if any stimulation. But a little extra love never hurts.

When grwoing indoors I use an electric toothbrush to stimulate the flower into droppng pollen. Along with fans that does the trick.