41NBC’s Jasmine Williams reports from the 2013 Green Tomato Festival in Juliette, Georgia.
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Question by Tomboy: All three tomato plants have yellow flowers but only one has two small green tomatoes. Why only one?
I’m using a self-supporting Topsy-Turvy planter with Miracle Grow tomato fertilizer once a week. The plants are all growing very well on an outdoor porch with plenty of breeze albeit not many bees. Can tomato plants fertilize or rather pollinate themselves or do they require pollination from another plant?
Best answer:
Answer by Florida Orange
The tomato plant is hermaphroditic, meaning it has both male and female flowers, so it can self-fertilize. This is not the same as self-pollinating, as pollination refers to the transfer of pollen. Hot and humid weather makes the pollen sticky and makes it difficult for the plant to release pollen. They require some vibration to pollinate, which is usually supplied by bees. Try shaking the stems of your plants to vibrate them and help them pollinate. You can also pollinate them yourself with a small paint brush, transferring pollen from the male to the female flowers.
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Related Green Tomato Articles
Do not buy topsy turverys they waste your money.You see how your plant is growing back up. By a five gallon bucket next time.(or a pot).
Tomato plants are having both male sex organ (i.e. stamens) and female sex organs (i.e. pistils) on the same plant; therefore, they can do self-pollination (cross-pollination is not required!).
For better harvest, use heirloom seeds. They will give exceptionally good yield, color, taste, and nutrition. In addition, use biofertilizers!
KGR
Botanist, Ph.D. Research Scholar