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Did you know? A tomato flower only has a few hours to transform into a beautiful fruit. After that, the window closes. And to go from flower to ripe fruit, it happens in four stages : pollination, fertilization, fruit set, then ripening.

1. Pollination (a few hours). The good news about tomatoes is that they are what's called a perfect flower: hermaphroditic, they contain both the male part (stamens, which carry pollen) and the female part (pistil). So, they can self-pollinate. It really doesn't take much: a passing pollinator, a gust of wind, or you gently shaking the plant. But be quick, the flower is only receptive for a few hours.

2. Fertilization (24 to 48 hours). Once the pollen is in the right place, the flower fertilizes within a day or two. If it didn't work, you'll seeabortion : at the peduncles (the fruit attachment points), they'll turn yellow, then eventually fall off.

3. Fruit set (a few days). This is the slightly less known stage, yet it's the one we love to see. A few days after fertilization, the petals wilt and a tiny little fruit appears at the base of the flower. That's the sign it worked.

4. Ripening (one and a half to two months). The longest stage, the one that requires patience. This is where the small green fruit grows, changes color, and sweetens. Because let's be honest, it's a lot more fun to eat a colorful, sweet tomato than a fruit that's still completely green.

Pro tip: if your plants are sheltered from the wind (in a greenhouse, on a protected balcony) or you see few pollinators, give them a gentle shake from time to time. This helps the pollen fall into the right place and improves fruit set.

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