Greenhouse tomatos not forming??
Gardener Eve
Posts: 118
Hello,
I have grown cherry tomatoes in my mainly south facing garden outside and they've done from very well to okay.
This year as I bought a small greenhouse I decided to try a variety that would need greenhouse protection and I chose Costoluto Fiorentino from Sarah Raven.
The plants are growing very well and seem very happy in greenhouse and I've had some flowers but so far no tomatos starting.
The cherry varieties which are outside have already got little tomatoes formed.
I have had the door and window of the greenhouse open consistently for the last month or longer.
I'm not sure if I'm just being impatient and if larger varietys take longer to form tomatos or whether the bees can't get into the greenhouse to pollinate them although the door and window had been open?
Has has anyone come across this before?
Thanks very much
????
Posts
Has has anyone come across this before?
Yes.
Now and then I grow Black Russian toms (usually 600-700g each) as well as shirley, sungold etc and I get the same. The plants grow well and look fine and flowers come, but no fruits. It just seems to take an extra couple of weeks for them to start setting fruit. Happens every time.
I don't know if it's to do with them having double flowers, temperature or the plants just maturing enough to be able to support the fruit, but I'm sure they'll come.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I try to tap/shake the plants to encourage the flowers to self-pollinate. Wind movement can be enough for this if the doors/vents are open, although not necessarily if the greenhouse is sheltered.
That's great thanks everyone!
i get quite excited about growing something new & I was feeling a bit disheartened but will now wait more patiently
Ahh thanks that's interesting.
Does it still apply if you don't use any pest controls?
ive kept the garden organic since we've had it (about 4yrs) and have marigolds in the greenhouse as I read it's a natural deterrent to pests.... so hopefully pollinators wouldn't be discouraged from going inside the greenhouse...?
In fact I had hoped the flowers might encourage pollinators into the greenhouse...
thanks : )
Hi Everyone,
Came on here to ask the same question.
I have eleven plants in my greenhouse and although in my case about two weeks ago I had about 35 tomatoes appear, black cherry plant has about 10 (the other cherry plant has non), another one has eight (a large beef variety, name of which I forget and I lost the list), a yellow pear has five and the rest seem to have non or one.
It is a few years since I grow tomatoes as the greenhouse roof got damaged in a storm and only got round to repairing it this year, but don't seem to ever recall this happening.
Last edited: 02 July 2017 15:04:08
If you make sure there's proper ventilation - ie doors/vents open - when fruits need pollinating, there shouldn't be an issue with insects getting in. Good airflow and husbandry will keep pests down. Like you G.Eve, most people on the forum who grow tomatoes undercover don't use chemicals as it's counterproductive. Your marigolds will attract the necessary insects too - hoverflies and bees etc
In cold windy weather, insects fly less regularly, and people tend to keep greenhouse doors closed, so make sure that doesn't happen to avoid the problem of them not getting access. In general, pollination happens well enough, regardless of weather, but some varieties are slower to flower anyway, so fruits will be later.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...