Pollinating tomatoes at home is a very important process. It depends on how much harvest you get. It is especially important to pay attention to this procedure if you grow tomatoes in the greenhouse.
A bit of theory
The answer to the question "who pollinates plants?" very simple: tomatoes themselves produce pollen and pollinate neighboring flowers with it. Under normal conditions, they are pollinated with the help of wind and insects. In greenhouses, this is done by airing and, of course, by hand. In this case, you yourself carry pollen from one plant to another. 
Did you know? The largest tomato weighed 2.9 kg. Grown it was in Wisconsin in the United States.
Why pollinate?
Pollination of tomatoes in a greenhouse is a process that determines how much fruit will ripen as a result. It directly affects the future harvest. Do this procedure if the plants can not pollinate themselves, for example, in the cold time of the day, when there are no insects and you can not open the windows for airing.
Timing
When choosing a time for pollination, pay attention to the weather, because on a rainy or wet day the process will be much worse. Conduct pollination in the period when there is sun, preferably every 3-4 days. Water the soil immediately after that, and after 2.5-3.5 hours, open the windows and doors for air circulation.
The necessary conditions
In order to pollinate plants qualitatively in a greenhouse, it is necessary to monitor the air temperature and humidity index. By the way, this is a plus for greenhouses - outside the greenhouse you will not be able to maintain optimal temperature and humidity. Do not let the temperature fall below 13-16 ° C. At the same time, the properties of pollen deteriorate. Pollen does not scatter when the moisture content is more than 65-75%. But too dry air also has a bad effect on pollen.
Important! We can not allow the temperature to rise above 30-40 ° C. Even if this is allowed for a short time, the flowers may fall off and your harvest will disappear as a result.
Basic methods
There are two ways to pollinate tomatoes in a greenhouse:
- natural;
- artificial.
Natural pollination
Let's talk about how to properly air the greenhouse with tomatoes and attract there insects that will pollinate the tomatoes.
Airing greenhouses
It is necessary to air the greenhouse with tomatoes so that pollen from the movement of air crumbles on the flowers and pollinates them. To do this, you must create air circulation in the room. Open the doors and windows and remember that to create a good air flow, you need to know how to properly position the vents and doorways. Vents should be a lot. They must be placed on the roof and side walls in order for air to quickly enter the room. 
To get a good crop of tomatoes, you need to familiarize yourself with all the subtleties of growing this crop in a greenhouse. We advise you to find out how to: water, tie up, mulch and fertilize tomatoes in the greenhouse; also read which varieties are best suited for greenhouse cultivation.
We attract pollinating insects
The next step is to attract insects, without which you will not be able to pollinate tomatoes. To do this, you just need to plant plants between the rows of tomatoes, which are honeybees and lure bees. Such indoor plants as basil and marigolds will also serve as an excellent bait.
Did you know? Tomato is the most popular vegetable in the world. Each year around 60 million tons of tomatoes are harvested in the world.
Artificial pollination
If you decide to grow tomatoes at a time when there is no possibility to ventilate the room and there are no insects, for example in winter and autumn, then you will have to carry out this procedure manually. Artificial pollination of tomatoes is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. 
Shaking
To pollen fall, you can try to shake the plants. If the vegetables are tied, you can easily knock on the ropes. Yes, it will take longer than just airing, in which the pollen is carried by the movement of air, but this is a very important process and must be done.
Use fan
To pollinate tomatoes at home, also use an ordinary fan. To do this, simply turn it on and move between the plants. This method perfectly replaces airing during natural pollination, however, it takes a little more time.
Apply brushes
Another method of pollination - brush. Just stain it with pollen, and then touch each pestle of flowers with it. This method is a good substitute for attracting insects. 
Important! For a better ovary of tomatoes, you can use drugs for pollination in the greenhouse. One of these is a solution of boric acid. It prevents shedding and activates flowering, and also prevents the fruit from rotting during high humidity. Simply dilute 10 g of powder with 10 liters of hot water.
Toothbrush to help
If suddenly there was no brush in your house - do not be sad. You can use a toothbrush for dusting (that is, for everyone). The principle of its work is exactly the same as that of the brush.
As you can see, the pollination of tomatoes is not at all a complicated process, and it can be done by everyone. The main thing is to do everything correctly, taking care of the plants, and then they will bring you a good harvest. Good luck! 
