Tomato plants

Ray Palmer

I have grown some tomato plants and they are getting quit big and bushy and seem to be doing well. Unfortunately they still have no fruit, somebody said I need to do something to them to start them getting to fruit. ANy ideas? They are for small yellow cherry tomatoes.

igorbiscan

Hi there,
When the plants flower you need to hand pollinate them,(there are plenty of clips on youtube), it basically involves either giving the flowers a little shake or using a tiny brush to pollinate them.
After that you should see the flowers wither away and small tomatoes start to develop.
I started my plants end of Feb and are have formed quite tomatoes a few so far.
Best of Luck.

Alun

igorbiscan wrote: »

Hi there,
When the plants flower you need to hand pollinate them,(there are plenty of clips on youtube), it basically involves either giving the flowers a little shake or using a tiny brush to pollinate them.

Never knew that ... I've never done it on mine (indoors in a conservatory) and I've always had a good crop. Maybe because I leave the door open in the summer, the insects are getting in and doing it for me?

slowburner

Big and bushy, you say. Have you been picking out the shoots that form at the leaf junctions?

Ray Palmer

slowburner wrote: »

Big and bushy, you say. Have you been picking out the shoots that form at the leaf junctions?

No

Dizzyblonde

Unless you're growing small patio tomato plants such as Tumblers, you need to pinch out all the side shoots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loBtDZQRa8g

slowburner

These are the bits you need to pick off

Ray Palmer

Thanks first time growing them and they are looking healthy it seems I let them go a bit wild.

Corsendonk

You shouldn't really need to use the brush to pollinate this time of year. Plenty of bees about or if you have your plants trained on strings get a piece of plastic pipping and tap the string with it to vibrate the plant below. Coming to the end of the season pinch the main head out of your tomato plant so the plant puts all its energy into fruit development.

wreckless

yep, where the leaves branch out from the main stalk, little shoots grow that need to be nipped out. this allows the plant to grow good and tall up along a well supported wire etc to the roof or overhead support. the leaves dont need to be left getting all mad long either, clip them too. it stops them continually growing and puts the energy back into flowering and fruit production. when you think its tall enough, clip the top of the plant too as said

fred funk }{

No need to pollinate them manually. The wind alone will shake the branches enough to pollinate the flowers. I have yet to see a Tomato plant not produce fruit.

slowburner

As will all the other bugs that fly about.