There are a couple of things I really, really like. I like working in the yard – planting things, pulling weeds, just working outside. Inside of our home, other than humans, dogs and probably dust mites, I don't know of anything that lives and grows. I live in a coastal area and can look outside and see something green and often blooming every day of the year. I can go outside and get my fill of nature.
Something else I really, really like are tomatoes, so when the prices started skyrocketing, I decided to grow tomatoes. Now, I am not a master gardener – heck, I'm not even Mike Fak - but I still expected great results.
I headed off to the Happy Place (i.e. Wal-Mart) and selected a beautiful tomato plant with four itty, bitty tomatoes already in place just waiting for my warm, organically fed soil to make them into giant, shiny, red fruit. One plant would provide plenty for just the two of us. I bought the stake, the soil, mulch and felt pretty happy about my latest endeavor. The tomatoes grew and eventually turned red with the help of my nurturing. But, that was it. Four tomatoes. The plant grew and flowered, but I couldn't figure out why I never saw more tomatoes. Even after 32 years of marriage, it never occurred to me to consider pollination.
Somewhat sheepishly I approached the Happy Place Garden Shop Dude that had answered so many questions in the past and asked if having only one tomato plant was a problem. He looked at me, probably not even having any clue what I meant. I went on to explain that it just occurred to me that the flowers needed to be pollinated in order to produce fruit. Was he blushing? I went on to ask if I needed more than one tomato plant or if it didn't matter what kind of pollen was used? It is a serious question, right? I went on to ask if whatever bee or butterfly visiting my yard had my needed pollen on its proboscis already from visiting other gardens, or did it have to be the same species of tomato? After all, those proboscises are pretty tiny. How much can they hold? By now I had a crowd and they were visibly laughing…but they didn't have an answer for me. They did however sell me a second tomato plant.
Cut to yesterday at the Happy Place. I was in the housewares aisle and a woman approached with a familiar green plant in her basket. One tomato plant. "Pardon me" I asked. She looked up. I asked if it was indeed a tomato plant. She said yes. I asked if she had more at home. She said yes, she had one and it had only produced one tomato already there when she purchased it. I sense a trend. It looks like I am not alone in this.
I think I am at least of average intelligence, though some that know me well may disagree after reading this story. So, if anyone has any answers, please, enlighten me! If you have to have more than one plant in close proximity to the other to produce fruit, then why do fruit trees, some miles away from others produce fruit? An even more pressing question: why do they sell only one plant? Or at least shouldn't they place a warning on the container that positive results require more than one plant at the intended location?
My next purchase will be a few flowering plants that attract butterflies. I figure with the disappearing bee population and my lack of knowledge, I need all the help I can get!
