Published Thursday, August 22, 2013, OK personal/derivative use; link lovethatimage.artsquadgraphics.com.
Cherry tomatoes
My tomatoes look and taste great this year. Last year many of them split, which was so disappointing. What I learned was that happened because I had underwatered, so the tomatoes had thick, tough skins which burst when the plant got a good dousing when it rained. This year I was better about the watering and it made a big difference. Also I used better fertilizer, added alfalfa meal at planting, AND went out with a dry paintbrush when it was flowering to try to get better fruit set. Something worked!
Cherry tomatoes in different stages of ripeness
Linking to Homemaking Party Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Garden Tuesday, Saturday Show Off, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Fishtail Cottage Thursday, Outdoor Wednesday, and My Romantic Home. So glad you stopped by here and hope you come back soon. Try my tips for better photos free download at right if you like the pictures here.
Just love tomatoes and your photo shows them off at their best. Judyx
Lovely tomatoes!
I planted Sweet 100 and Sun Sugar this year.
Have a wonderful day!
Lea
Lea’s Menagerie
Lovely, fresh little tomatoes looking so healthy in the sunlight.
Beautiful tomatoes! I am pleased with some heirloom plum tomatoes this year. Just curious, how did you use the dry paintbrush? I have not heard this before.
Home grown tomatoes are a summer blessing.
Thanks for asking, Carol. This is basically making like a bee. You take a small dry paintbrush, like a kid’s paint set brush, and dab at one yellow flower, then another, then another, etc. You can also use a Q-tip. The idea is to move the pollen around. It really doesn’t take long to do quite a few plants. You can go back a few days later when there are more, new flowers and do it again. It really, really helps!
I also use this technique with small fruit trees in the spring to get more fruit to set. There are bees and other pollinators around, but they obviously can’t visit every single flower while the flowers are open and ready.