Tomatoes are self pollinating which means they don't need another tomato to pollinate them. However, they do usually need something to assist in the pollination like bees, wind, etc... If you have no bees or other pollinators around try gently shaking the plant.

Halime, they are self pollinating and no, you don't need bees b'c they self pollenize almost all the time but there's still a chance for cross pollination if you're thinking of saving seeds.

If you go to the top of this first page and click on the FAQ link, scroll down to the article on How to PRevent Cross pollination where it discusses self pollenization, etc. And lots of pictures as well.

Even being in FL in an 8b gardening zone I hope you have time to mature what you have. And I say that b'c my FL friends in a similar zone started their plants back in July and have just about finished picking what they're going to for this Fall season. Most of them do two crops a year, a Spring and a Fall season.

Carolyn

Thanks for the replies!
Carolyn, I am "experimenting" with so-called cold hardy Tomatoes. I've never grown anything before and I figure the best way to learn is to make mistakes.
The seeds I purchased are from Siberia, Russia and I am excited to see if they will survive!!
Halime

Halime-please let us know how your plants come along. It sounds like a very interesting experiment.(!) Those seeds will be thrilled with N.FL. weather. Last year, I brought MI. tomato plants down to S.W.FL. for an experiment (since we cannot buy anything other than a cardboard tomato in FL.) and wow, they thrived and produced like crazy. I did assure pollination with the soft touch of a q-tip to the flowers because they were up on a balcony porch and being a new gardener I was concerned they would not be pollinated properly.

I have tomatoes here in the Tampa Bay area. With containers, if a frost comes you can move them inside for a night or two.

Cool Guys!!!!

I just lost one tomato plant and I blame this so called "potting mix" I got from the nursery. They mix it themselves and it STUNK! I assumed they knew what they were doing so I mixed it with my vegetable potting mix Jungle growth half and half 4 days ago and my best looking tomato plant JUST KEELED OVER AND DIED.

I am assuming it was whatever was in their potting mix because the other three are doing great!!
I didn't call them because I just didn't feel like it. I was mad and when I am mad I talk crap.

What I have left are Kotlas, Prairie Fire and Oregon Spring variety.

I have read Al's (Tapla) posts on potting mixes and plan on trying that out in the spring. I just had already bought all the other stuff and couldn't find any pine bark fines and was not in the mood to go crazy looking for it. Spring time I will try out his recommendations.

Thanks for the tips (q-tips) lol
Halime