Will My Tomato Plants Get Fruit?

Hi Anne,
I wonder if my tomato plants will set fruit this year since I have them potted in self watering containers that are located in a screened in enclosure aka a "Lanai" type of structure. The structure is screened in on all sides including the roof and receives 100% of daily available sun.

I worry that the lack of flying insects will prevent pollination? Do tomato plants self pollinate?

Bill

PS: I am located in Northern Florida on the coast and our plants are already blossoming flowers.


Anne's response

The plants willl need to be hand pollinated just as many greenhouse grown plants are. The easiest way to do it for one plant is to use a q-tip to remove the pollen from a blooms as it opens and transfer it to another bloom. Just keep swabbing the Q-tip from one bloom to the next until you have all the blossoms pollinated.