From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Grittyville, WA

Does anyone know if tomatoes will pollinate equally well in the evening vs in the morning? I guess I will find out, because I was surprised to get a good shake of pollen this evening, and then used it to try to make some controlled crosses.

9/8/2022 12:54:25 AM

Grittyville, WA

Fyi-- they will be grown in a plastic hoophouse if they take. I know a major change in weather is just 10 days away but hopefully I can create an artificial environment that will get the seeds to mature.

9/8/2022 12:58:51 AM

Colorado

I pollinated all mine after work 5-6pmish. I don't think tomatoes care. I also didn't have a problem getting them to pollinate at 90+ deg. Every megabloom I hand pollinated set. I deliberately skipped a couple and those did not set.

9/9/2022 2:02:25 AM

Colorado

I did pollinate a few times in the morning or around noon if it was the weekend. I always seemed to have pollen no mater the time of day.

9/9/2022 2:09:27 AM

Grittyville, WA

I was used to not getting any pollen after about 11 am when the wind or bumblebees would take it all. I didnt realize some flowers would also be mature in the evening. Good info, thanks.

9/9/2022 7:29:45 AM

Grittyville, WA

It didnt take long for the new guy to get smarter than me lolol.

9/9/2022 7:33:04 AM

South Dakota

I pollinate with an electric toothbrush in the middle of the hot times of day and regularly get big plumes of pollen shooting out of the flowers.

9/9/2022 8:43:21 AM

South Dakota

I pollinate with an electric toothbrush in the middle of the hot times of day and regularly get big plumes of pollen shooting out of the flowers.

9/9/2022 8:43:21 AM

Wixom MI.

The problem you have with making a true cross is that you have to cut off the another cone before it starts dropping pollen on the flower you are trying to cross !!! Tomatoes will useally

9/9/2022 3:27:21 PM

Wixom MI.

Tomatoes will usually self pollinate once they start dropping their own pollen. When you are rubbing one flower onto another flower or collecting pollen on a spoon to transfer to another flower you need to be sure that the flower you are pollinating is still young enough that it hasn't dropped its own pollen already or hasn't been contaminated by a bee. All I am saying that when you are trying to cross a megabloom is that it is nearly impossible to cut off it's another cone witch holds all the pollen because it's usually untangled into the tomato and it's pistol and the timing of a megabloom may take days to open witch makes cross pollinating even harder. I'm not saying that it can't be done but in my opinion crossing a megabloome is as crapshoot !!! Maybe a 30 to 50 % chance that you can get a good cross.

9/9/2022 3:42:37 PM

Grittyville, WA

I pulled the petals/anthers off so just a stigma and these are just singles. I hope I get 90-95% certainty of the cross but . Ps wixom looks like the wildlife isnt worried about any chemicals... recreating Eden is always a battle its like stopping the tides, I just roll with it sometimes.

9/9/2022 4:28:37 PM

Grittyville, WA

Pulled em off while still immature. I didnt bag any of the blossoms to try to keep the wind or bees out though. That will be next step. When I want to get more serious about it.

9/9/2022 4:35:19 PM

Colorado

Empty tea bags. Dan Sutherland suggested that and it's brilliant. They have their own built in draw strings.

9/10/2022 2:50:38 AM

Colorado

Ya I bet megablooms are a pain to cut all the anther cones off. :/

9/10/2022 2:51:38 AM

Grittyville, WA

Great idea, thanks.

9/10/2022 2:37:46 PM