Want more tomatoes? This one method is so easy and actually works, gardeners say

And it takes about three seconds.

Tomatoes are such a joyful little fruit, first producing pretty yellow flowers that eventually transform into plump spheres bursting with flavor. Increasing your tomato yield is always a good thing, and there’s a simple trick you can try to support tomato pollination and noticeably amplify crop output. The method takes just a few seconds and is one that gardeners swear by.

Meet Our Expert

• Holly Farrell, gardening expert and author of The Tomato Grower’s Handbook
• Mark Donofrio, permaculture farming educator and founder of The Starter Farm in Santa Ynez, California

Related: 15 Plants to Grow Alongside Tomatoes for a More Bountiful Harvest

How Do Tomatoes Pollinate?

Tomatoes are somewhat unique because they self-pollinate, meaning they have both male and female reproductive parts within each flower. This makes them different from other types of produce that rely on pollinating insects, explains Holly Farrell, gardening expert and author of The Tomato Grower’s Handbook. 

"When the flowers open, the male parts of the flowers produce pollen that falls onto the female parts. The flower is fertilized, and this is when it starts to grow seeds and the tomato fruit," she says.

A gust of wind or a buzzing bee can shake the plant just enough to release pollen and spark an eventual fruit. You can replicate this effect manually to encourage more fruit as well. 

A Simple Gardener’s Trick to Increase Tomato Yield

Plants grown outdoors often receive enough wind movement and pollinator activity to ensure proper fruit set. However, indoor and greenhouse vines can benefit from gentle tapping or shaking, says Mark Donofrio, a permaculture farming educator and founder of The Starter Farm. Outdoor plants can also benefit from this trick, especially if they’re in tucked-away spots like a patio, balcony ledge, or near the home’s perimeter. 

“Tapping tomato plants is a process of simulating wind or pollinator movement to encourage the pollen to fertilize the female part of the flower,” Donofrio says. “This process can be done by gently tapping the flowers on a plant in order to shake the pollen loose. This can be done with simple tools like a pencil or paintbrush.” 

He adds that tapping is especially helpful for greenhouse growing and growing areas that are enclosed or do not get enough wind movement or pollinator activity. In fact, professional greenhouse tomato growers either introduce pollinators in their spaces or use some type of tapping or shaking method to ensure fruit set. 

Farrell adds that some gardeners also swear by using an electric toothbrush against the flower stalk (called the truss).

“The vibrations jiggle the pollen out of the flowers,” Farrell explains. “You don’t want to go any more vigorous than that, really, or you’ll shake the pollen too far, and it will miss its landing spot on the flowers.” 

More Tips to Increase Tomato Crops

Along with tapping your tomato plant, here are some additional ways you can support tomato plant health and increase your crop output. 

• Place in the window: If you’re growing indoors, place your tomato plants by the window so they can catch some gentle breezes to help encourage pollen dropping. 
• Grow next to marigolds: “Outdoors, grow some flowers like marigolds—Tagetes species or Calendula officinalis—around your tomatoes,” Farrell advises. This helps draw pollinating insects to your tomato flowers. 
• Routinely feed potted tomatoes: Plants grown in pots benefit from regular feeding. Farrell says, “Try a general-purpose organic seaweed feed rather than synthetic ‘tomato’ feeds.” 
• Stress them slightly: Once established, try pulling back slightly on water and fertilizer. “You want the plants to think ‘we may not survive’ and need to produce babies,” Donofrio says. “In our tests on the farm, this method has greatly increased fruit production.” 
• Snip the fruit stalks: You can also try snipping the fruit stalks in half. This translates to fewer fruits per truss, but each will be bigger. Farrell says this is a helpful technique for beefsteak varieties in particular. 

Read the original article on Real Simple