Do I Have to Pollinate Tomato Plants?

Tomato plants are a popular choice for gardeners due to their delicious fruit and relatively easy growing process. However, some people may wonder if they need to manually pollinate their tomato plants or if the plants will pollinate themselves. The answer to this question depends on the type of tomato plant and the growing situation.

Self-Pollinating Varieties

Many tomato varieties are considered self-pollinating, meaning that they can pollinate themselves without the assistance of bees or other pollinators. This is because the flowers on these plants contain both male and female reproductive structures, allowing them to transfer pollen within the same flower. These varieties include but are not limited to cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and some heirloom varieties.

Open-Pollinating Varieties

On the other hand, some tomato varieties require cross-pollination from bees or other insects to produce fruit. These varieties are known as open-pollinating and include beefsteak tomatoes and other larger varieties. Without proper pollination, these plants may produce few or no fruits.

Indoor Growing

If you are growing tomato plants indoors, you may need to pollinate them yourself. This is because the plants do not have access to bees or other insects that would do the job naturally. To do this, you can gently shake the plant or use a small brush or cotton swab to transfer pollen between flowers.

Outdoor Growing

If you are growing tomato plants outdoors, you may not need to manually pollinate them as bees and other insects can do the job naturally. However, if you are not seeing many bees or other pollinators in your area, you may want to consider planting flowers that attract these creatures, such as marigolds or zinnias.

Final Thoughts

Overall, whether or not you need to pollinate your tomato plants will depend on the variety you are growing and your growing situation. Self-pollinating varieties and outdoor plants will generally not require manual pollination, while open-pollinating varieties and indoor plants may require manual pollination to produce fruit. No matter what type of tomato plant you are growing, it is always a good idea to ensure that pollinators are present to promote healthy plant growth and fruit development.