I am on the 18th floor of a hi-rise and I get carpenter bees up here that pollinate my blueberries. They are a bit bigger than bumble bees and really have to strain to get their probiscus into the flower (and I have seen websites with pics of them occassionally puncturing a flower on the side to get to the nectar). But they manage to do a good job at it and getting up into the flower and will greedily move from flower to flower. I've only rarely seen bumble bees up here and maybe possibly a honey bee or two (they tend to be rare anywhere).

I think blackberries have a more open flower, so just about any flying thing could do those. The tomatoes can self-pollinate in the wind (or from you flicking the blossoms and/or shaking the plants) so you don't need an insect for them.

My pollinator:

{{gwi:1250}}

A blessing in disguise... although they can get sortof territorial and will wonder why you are standing there in their domain and will not hesitate to check you out and otherwise guard their territory! LOL

{{gwi:1524}}

BTW, meant to welcome you to the Balcony Forum! :-D We're a wild enabling bunch here, although there are periods when it's quiet because we're outside trying to navigate and somehow manage the jungles, and then we'll flop back down and post the glorious enviable pictures. :-p

Hello!
I am in Downtown Chicago & my neighbors & I all have tomatoes. The plants on the 4th floor seem to do the best & have had Dozens of Fruits! This is my first year trying to grow on my patio & I am going to try growing them upside down. (IÂll post picÂs if it works! Keep your fingers crossed!)

I was also worried about Fruiting so I went to Gardens Alive & got Tomato Blossom Set Spray that helps the flowers pollinate! It also works on berries & other veggies too! So it should work on your Blackberries! I'm also going to use it on my strawberries!

The website says:
"Helps tomato blossoms set fruit despite poor weather or other unfavorable conditions. Use early in the season and get tomatoes up to three weeks earlier! When tomato flowers are fully open, spray regularly for bigger yields all season. Ready-to-use spray contains a natural hormone that also increases fruit set on peppers, cucumbers, beans, eggplants, melons, okra, berries and grapes."
I also got the Special Tomato Fertilizer because they say that Tomato's need lots of Calcium or else they might not set fruit or the fruit will be small & I don't have the best soil to use. The Calcium Deficiency might be part of your problem!

If you don't want to buy special fertilizer then save your eggshells every time you crack & rinse them out VERY WELL (I've learned from experience! LOL) get a pile of them & Grind them to powder in a Coffee Grinder! Then mix into the top 2 inches of the soil & water well. That might help. I donÂt think you can "OD" your plants on Calcium but IÂm not sure!

If they CAN "OD" on Calcium then PLEASE correct me!

Hope things work out! At least the weather seems to be straightening out!

(I'M NOT TRYING TO SELL ANYTHING just get my fellow Gardeners some Free Stuff! I got a catalog in the mail from Gardens Alive but they also have a website & if you use Coupon Code:(or Key #)141581 you get $25.00 in stuff FREE!! I couldnÂt find a catch but you MIGHT not be able to use it if you have bought from them before!

If you take S/H into account & Deduct it from the Product Price Total then you get your order for free! The code expires in July I think so go check them out soon. It might not go through at first on the website so write down what you want and contact customer service about the Discount or mail in the order. That's what I did to order Online & that's the ONLY reason I ordered from there in the first place!
Pass the code along to EVERYONE!)