Assisting Polination Of Tomato Plants

Tomatoes are said to be self pollinating because each tomato flower contains both male stamens and female stigmas. The male stamens are tubes containing pollen on their insides. The bottoms of the stamen tubes enclose the female stigma which is the flower's ovary. In nature the wind and the buzzing wings of the honey bee shake the tomato flower and loosen the pollen in the male stamens causing it to fall and fertilize the female stigmas. This is a hit and miss proposition and to assure maximal yields from your tomato vines you will have to assist in the pollination of the tomato's flowers. I use a handheld battery operated toothbrush to facilitate pollination by touching each flowers stem with the vibrating bristles of the brush. Others recommend using the back of your hand to gently shake the blossoms. If your tomatoes are grown on a stake or in a wire cage you can accomplish the same goal by gently shaking the stake or wire cage. To be on the safe side I often use all three techniques on my tomato plants. The tomato blossoms is ready to be pollinated when the petals of the tomato's flowers turn upwards revealing the exposed stamen enclosed stigmas of plant. Assisted pollination is most effective if carried out during the middle of the day. For best results, and to achieve maximal yields from you tomato plants, perform this ritual on a daily basis.