My toms are doing very nicely in the conservatory and are just starting to flower...
But do they need pollinating by insects /me with a paintbrush? It's something I've never thought of before! ...but then I've never grown them somewhere as insect-tight as a conservatory!
The chap with the nursery next to where I used to work just tapped the support strings job done. or see here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bueCLH3u7vM&feature=related
No, I just gave a little tiny tap every couple of days. Lol, first time I grew toms, I tapped too hard and lost a whole lower truss. You just have to tap like a breeze of wind
I grow a few in the conservatory, I don't even bother tapping the tops any more - I guess the breeze from the slightly open doors does the job, I get plenty of fruit from them. Tomatoes really do seem to be bombproof!
We put a couple of marigolds or tagetes next to the plants, it attracts the insects in to pollinate the toms and eat the nasties off them ;D
I second the tagetes in each plant pot. Two years ago I suffered a mega infestation of white fly in my GH. Last year I planted tagetes and not a sign of white or green fly. I also plant tegetes around the outdoor plants too.
Tricia
indoors I have a very samll fan which I piut on fot a couple of hours which rustles ther leaves, I think it makes the stems stronger too
XX Jeannine