Tomatoes – Growing Indoors and Pollinating

Q: Do I need any kind of insects to pollinate tomato plants when I grow them indoors.

A: Pollen has to travel somehow from one flower to the next but you don’t need insects do accomplish this. When your tomatoes bloom, you’ll notice that the flowers hang upside-down. This means that pollen can be jostled loose from the male part of the flower and it will likely fall onto the female part without having a honeybee helper. Instead, use an electric toothbrush. When the first flower in a cluster is fully open, “buzz” the bunch with your toothbrush three or four times a day for three days. As all of the flowers open and mature, pollen will be shaken from the stamens onto the pistil and tomato fruit will develop. Don’t forget that lots of light is needed to grow fruit indoors successfully.