Will tomato plants produce fruit if the flowers have stayed at the same stage for weeks?

Question:

We have raised beefsteak tomato plants from the seeds of a plant that we purchased last year.  The plants are doing great, but the flowers are at the same stage for the last three weeks and they have not developed at all.  Are they going to be able to produce fruit?

Answer:

Donna Coffin, Extension Professor

If the plants are growing well, they should eventually flower and set fruit. It may be a problem with pollination. Shaking or vibrating the flowers helps to be sure the flower gets pollinated since there are no bees in the house. You can shake the stem of the plant or use an electric toothbrush to vibrate the flower stems. This makes them shed their pollen and pollinate their flowers.