[azubah]

Pollination of my tomatoes is very poor this year.
Anyone else noticed this problem?
I was lead to believe that the construction of the flowers causes them to pollinate themselves, but they just are not cooperating at the moment.
I leave the door of the greenhouse open all day and night now.

[mumofstig]

Give the canes (or pots)a tap to shake the plant to make the flowers release the pollen, it usually does the trick

[engineer]

I agree, nothing like a good shake to get them awake 

[Annen]

If you pat them on the head and say well done as you go past, they love it 

[Headgardener22]

If its too hot and dry it might also be a problem. Mist your plants as well as tapping them.

[solway cropper]

You could always pretend you are a bumble bee and hand pollinate them with a cotton bud. It's not really necessary but I do because at my time of life it's the closest I get to a fertility ritual!

[spuriousmonkey]

Question:

is there an optimal time to tap the plants? Morning? Afternoon? Evening?

I tap them. But because I am not sure when to do it, I often end up doing it twice a day.

[mumofstig]

When the flowers are open and dry - so the pollen is free 

[jay001]

my jane has just started the patting and talking too them now . . .and she doesn't even eat tomatoes