Tomatoes for 2024

[ducks4you]

I'm currently experimenting with micro dwarf tomatoes to see how well they do in our house as a windowsill garden. I have blooms starting!

If you have an old electric toothbrush, use that to shake the flowers since tomatoes self pollinate.

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

If you have an old electric toothbrush, use that to shake the flowers since tomatoes self pollinate.

Only you would come up with the elec toothbrush idea… Very clever..

 

[ducks4you]

I have only a few things that I have done that I came up with:
1) grabbing DD's wrists and whispering that we would leave the store if they didn't behave
2) putting wet pans and baking sheets to dry in the cold oven bc they wasn't space in the dry side of the sink
There are a few more but I can't remember them right now...
THIS idea, the toothbrush is easy to find on the INET.
Your "GoogleFoo" must be strong!!

 

[heirloomgal]

@heartsong111 I've grown quite a few tomatoes and peppers in a closed greenhouse setting and under lights in the house, and wondered at the start if the lack of wind and natural jostling would affect anything. Amazingly it doesn't. They pollinate so easy even without movement, I don't even know how they do it!

 

[ducks4you]

You Do know that houseflies pollinate, too. Could be unseen insects lurking in the corners and coming out to help you garden when you aren't looking!

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

You Do know that houseflies pollinate, too. Could be unseen insects lurking in the corners and coming out to help you garden when you aren't looking!

Very true statement about house flies or any flying insect trapped inside can secretly pollinate a plant when you’re not lookin.
For over 20 years I have cared for a parents beloved houseplant . It never bloomed in all that time. But one day this plant had a long drape of flower buds poking down the long outer side of the plants leaves. With hundreds of flower buds. At least 2’ long. As each flower bud opened the fragrance became stronger and stronger. So much so I had to put it outside just to get a break from the intense fragrance. That was the first time outside for this plant. It was July and the covered porch made a good spot for the plant.

Here is a pic of the offender.
.

 

[Branching Out]

I'm currently experimenting with micro dwarf tomatoes to see how well they do in our house as a windowsill garden. I have blooms starting!

Wow-- do you recall when you started the seeds? And what kind of growing media do you use? We have an ongoing challenge with fungus gnats, and it curtails our indoor growing during the winter months.

 

[heartsong111]

Wow-- do you recall when you started the seeds? And what kind of growing media do you use? We have an ongoing challenge with fungus gnats, and it curtails our indoor growing during the winter months.

I'm afraid I did not document the date, but it was about a month ago. I used our compost. I started a new round with seeds of some additional varieties. This was a couple weeks ago and seedlings have emerged. These will be more interesting due to no grow lights. Those were in a potting soil mix with some compost. I'll keep an eye out for bugs.

 

[ducks4you]

From my experience germination time for tomatoes depends upon their age. If they are Years old, they can Still germinate, though it takes longer. If you give up on them too soon, you could forget about them and they will dry out and die, which happened to ME with 35yo family tomato seeds years ago.

 

[flowerbug]

If you have an old electric toothbrush, use that to shake the flowers since tomatoes self pollinate.

you can also just ding them with your finger.