Are insects necessary to pollinate tomatoes. Was thinking about
making insect proof cage of plastic window screening to keep them away
but was wondering if the bigs are essential for pollination.
My correct e-mail address is gn052 (not gn52)
Fake adddress given to avoid spams

in article , Frank at
wrote on 3/19/03 2:57 AM:

Are insects necessary to pollinate tomatoes. Was thinking about
making insect proof cage of plastic window screening to keep them away
but was wondering if the bigs are essential for pollination.
My correct e-mail address is gn052 (not gn52)
Fake adddress given to avoid spams

I guess that it depends.

I have had no problem with pollination of tomatoes in my little greenhouse.
It may be that the seed varieties I use favor that. But I have used seeds
taken from tomatoes I like. I sometimes help the process along by snapping
the blossoms with my finger. It is not clear that that helps. Certainly the
commercial growers like to use bumblebees.

Another recommendation is to use a vibrator like an electric razor. I have a
batte4ry operated hair clipper that I used. It is not clear that it really
helps all that much.

Bill

As I understand it, tomatoes can be pollinated by the wind, so in that
respect you would probably be ok.

But I wonder what you would be trying to accomplish with the "insect proof
cage"? In my experience, tomatoes are not particularly prone to insect
damage. The exception might be tomato hornworms, but they are large and
relatively easy to spot and remove. And it seems to me that it would be
very difficult to exclude all insects, given that you need access to the
plants to prune and pick. There's bound to be a spot where something as
small as an insect could gain access, and you might end up trapping more
insects than you exclude. It doesn't seem like a very practical or
necessary idea.

Cheers,
Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA

Are insects necessary to pollinate tomatoes. Was thinking about
making insect proof cage of plastic window screening to keep them away
but was wondering if the bigs are essential for pollination.
My correct e-mail address is gn052 (not gn52)
Fake adddress given to avoid spams

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 19:13:28 GMT, "SugarChile"
wrote:

As I understand it, tomatoes can be pollinated by the wind, so in that
respect you would probably be ok.

But I wonder what you would be trying to accomplish with the "insect proof
cage"? In my experience, tomatoes are not particularly prone to insect
damage. The exception might be tomato hornworms, but they are large and
relatively easy to spot and remove. And it seems to me that it would be
very difficult to exclude all insects, given that you need access to the
plants to prune and pick. There's bound to be a spot where something as
small as an insect could gain access, and you might end up trapping more
insects than you exclude. It doesn't seem like a very practical or
necessary idea.


You know, I keep reading and hearing about tomato hornworms.
But I've never actually SEEN one, and I've never seen any
other insect-damage to tomatoes either. (I've grown
tomatoes for about 25 years, in four different states and
one Canadian province.)

Maybe I've just been lucky.

Pat
--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

I went for years without seeing one, too, until finally I grew some in a pot
away from the garden and got a few, however the wasps found them first and I
left them to produce more of the wasps.

susan

Pat Meadows wrote:

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 19:13:28 GMT, "SugarChile"
wrote:

As I understand it, tomatoes can be pollinated by the wind, so in that
respect you would probably be ok.

But I wonder what you would be trying to accomplish with the "insect proof
cage"? In my experience, tomatoes are not particularly prone to insect
damage. The exception might be tomato hornworms, but they are large and
relatively easy to spot and remove. And it seems to me that it would be
very difficult to exclude all insects, given that you need access to the
plants to prune and pick. There's bound to be a spot where something as
small as an insect could gain access, and you might end up trapping more
insects than you exclude. It doesn't seem like a very practical or
necessary idea.


You know, I keep reading and hearing about tomato hornworms.
But I've never actually SEEN one, and I've never seen any
other insect-damage to tomatoes either. (I've grown
tomatoes for about 25 years, in four different states and
one Canadian province.)

Maybe I've just been lucky.

Pat
--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

"Pat Meadows" wrote in message
...
You know, I keep reading and hearing about tomato hornworms.
But I've never actually SEEN one, and I've never seen any
other insect-damage to tomatoes either. (I've grown
tomatoes for about 25 years, in four different states and
one Canadian province.)
Maybe I've just been lucky.
Pat

I used to see lots of hornworms some 25 years ago when there wasn't much
else growing in the neighborhood. Now I sometimes see their frass but
seldom see any worms. I believe having lots of large trees and fruiting
shrubs in the neighborhood is providing a habitat for birds and they
clean up the hornworms and lots of other insect pests. The downside of
having lots of birds is that some crops like lettuce in its early stages
and tomatoes in their later stages need to be protected from the
irds - a bit bothersome but worth it to us. -Olin

I think I'm lucky when I *do* see one 8-). I think they are interesting and
cool looking caterpillars, very impressive to come across. I only see one
or two every few years, and I gladly sacrifice some tomato foliage and fruit
to watch them for a couple of days. With the work of the birds and the
wasps, I've never had what I would consider an infestation.

Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"Pat Meadows" wrote in message
You know, I keep reading and hearing about tomato hornworms.
But I've never actually SEEN one, and I've never seen any
other insect-damage to tomatoes either. (I've grown
tomatoes for about 25 years, in four different states and
one Canadian province.)

Maybe I've just been lucky.

Pat

Insects are not an absolute for tomato germination but they certainly
help......as does a breeze........as does tapping the plants to "shake' the
flowers......in my greenhouse days I resorted to a daily light shake of the
plants and had excellent pollination.......in many of the large greenhouses
an electric plant vibration system is used for causing pollination...without
one of the above pollination will not take place........HW.
"Frank" wrote in message
...
Are insects necessary to pollinate tomatoes. Was thinking about
making insect proof cage of plastic window screening to keep them away
but was wondering if the bigs are essential for pollination.
My correct e-mail address is gn052 (not gn52)
Fake adddress given to avoid spams

Pat Meadows wrote:


You know, I keep reading and hearing about tomato hornworms.
But I've never actually SEEN one, and I've never seen any
other insect-damage to tomatoes either. (I've grown
tomatoes for about 25 years, in four different states and
one Canadian province.)

Maybe I've just been lucky.

Pat

I've seen them & killed them. Nasty big green things.
Last summer I checked my container-grown tomatoes every day;
I did find a few & killed them. We also have bugs here that
go to town on tomato leaves & stems.

You have been lucky. I remember using a smallish bucket when
I had to weed tomatoes as a kid; we hand-picked them & squashed them.
Some years we lost quite a few plants even with vigilance.

Minteeleaf

You know, I keep reading and hearing about tomato hornworms.
But I've never actually SEEN one, and I've never seen any
other insect-damage to tomatoes either. (I've grown
tomatoes for about 25 years, in four different states and
one Canadian province.)

Maybe I've just been lucky.

Pat

I don't know about the insect proof cages either. But if you live in the
southland there are several insect pests for tomatoes, The most deadly are the
tiny little thrips that spread the spotted wilt virus, The tomato fruit worm
(same critter as the corn earn worm but it likes to bore into toamtoes just
before they get ripe) can also do a lot damage. Hornworms are rare here and so
easy to spot that they are not really a consideration.

in article .net,
SugarChile at wrote on 3/19/03 11:13 AM:

As I understand it, tomatoes can be pollinated by the wind, so in that
respect you would probably be ok.

But I wonder what you would be trying to accomplish with the "insect proof
cage"? In my experience, tomatoes are not particularly prone to insect
damage. The exception might be tomato hornworms, but they are large and
relatively easy to spot and remove. And it seems to me that it would be
very difficult to exclude all insects, given that you need access to the
plants to prune and pick. There's bound to be a spot where something as
small as an insect could gain access, and you might end up trapping more
insects than you exclude. It doesn't seem like a very practical or
necessary idea.

I do not have much wind in my little greenhouse.

Your eyes must be much better than mine. They certainly are large, but I
think that is because they do not get spotted when they are small, Most of
the ones I have found have been traced through their droppings. It can take
days between when I first spot the droppings and finally spot the larva.

Bill

Thanks for your responses. Here in middle Georgia hornworms are
serious pests. In spite of their huge size they are difficult to spot
because they are the eaxct same color as the tomatoe plants. One
nights work by them is almost unmbelievable...looks like a mammal
has grazed upon the plant. If I go away from hokme for several days
some of plants will have no leaves when I return. There is also a
sucking insect that leaves big white spots where they suck on the
fruits...eventually causing rot....I suspect , but am not certain,
that stinkbugs may be the culprit. Plenty of them around.
Frank Thompson



On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 05:57:32 -0500, Frank wrote:

Are insects necessary to pollinate tomatoes. Was thinking about
making insect proof cage of plastic window screening to keep them away
but was wondering if the bigs are essential for pollination.
My correct e-mail address is gn052 (not gn52)
Fake adddress given to avoid spams

My correct e-mail address is gn052 (not gn52)
Fake adddress given to avoid spams

On Thu, 20 Mar 2003 06:18:01 -0500, Frank
wrote:

Thanks for your responses. Here in middle Georgia hornworms are
serious pests. In spite of their huge size they are difficult to spot
because they are the eaxct same color as the tomatoe plants. One
nights work by them is almost unmbelievable...looks like a mammal
has grazed upon the plant. If I go away from hokme for several days
some of plants will have no leaves when I return. There is also a
sucking insect that leaves big white spots where they suck on the
fruits...eventually causing rot....I suspect , but am not certain,
that stinkbugs may be the culprit. Plenty of them around.

There's a good reason why I prefer northern gardening to
more southern gardening.

Our main enemy here seems to be cold. It's pretty easy to
fight cold. You cover up the plants, or have a cold frame,
or WalloWaters, or unheated greenhouse - or any combination
of the above.

But the more southern places where I gardened had an awful
lot of insect/disease problems.

Pat
--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

On 20 Mar 2003 01:41:34 GMT,since it's all about me
(FarmerDill) professed:


I don't know about the insect proof cages either. But if you live in the
southland there are several insect pests for tomatoes, The most deadly are the
tiny little thrips that spread the spotted wilt virus,

Aaaaeeeeeeiiii!!!

You unutterable fool! Do not mention the Cursed Ones by
name!!!

For last summer, here in the midlands of South Carolina, I
did go forth to do battle in The War of the Thrips, and
mightily was I spanked for my efforts. Lacewings, and
ladybugs, and soapy water I did fling at the Cursed Ones,
and they did laugh and make sport of my tomatoes.

First to succumb were the Goliaths, poetically slain
by their tiny opponents. Next were the Hungarian Hearts,
followed closely by the Silvery Fur Tree tomatoes. Box
Car Willie, those of scrappy name and fame did battle
bravely, but were downed by late July. The Yellow Pear
did gracefully accept her fate, and did hurriedly produce
a bountiful basketful of lovely yellow tomatoes as she
wilted to the ground.

Ah, but the hero was the Great and Succulent Brandywine,
who did sneer at the Formidable Foe whilst popping
out babelicious beauties that my neighbor did covet. Only
the first frost bowed their proud heads, and they left me
with thee small, green tomatoes to bring inside.

So, heed my tale, oh foolish one, and do not invoke Those
Who Chew, least ye suffer as I have suffered, and your
tomatoes suffer as my tomatoes suffered.


Pam, girding up her loins to do battle once more.










--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

Aaaaeeeeeeiiii!!!

You unutterable fool! Do not mention the Cursed Ones by
name!!! (snipped)


Pam, I got a good laugh from your post. It seems unreasonable but I have same
experience with pink Brandywine and Giant Belgium pulling through when all the
others succumb. Either they are resistant to the virus, or they just don't
taste good to thrips.