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how do I pollinat my pumpkins with cuetips

11/19/2015 3:10:31 PM

Germany

Are you interested in controlled pollination (without the risk of insects transferring any other pollen on the female) for obtaining genetically fine seeds?

- No Q-tips needed.
- Step 1: The evening before pollination you cut some males and store them inside in a vase with some water.
- Step 2: The evening before pollination you cover the female with some thin flece (which prevents it from opening).
- Step 3: Pollination day, early morning, the males will have opened indoors, you take this bunch of flowers, go to the patch and visit your beautiful female. Remove the fleece from the female for the female will automatically pop open. Remove the petals from the males and simply use the stamen (with the open pollen carriers) as the Q-tip.
- Step 4: Right after pollination you close the female with some kind of string and cover it with the plastic or paper cup.
- Step 5: Day after pollination you remove the cup and you cut off the petals from the female to expose the stigma to air (for the stigma to dry and to prevent the growth of any mold or rot).

11/19/2015 3:25:46 PM

Germany

just to make sure you don´t drown the males in a pool of water: In step 1, store them inside means store them indoors (not inside the vase) ;-)

11/19/2015 3:27:11 PM

Citrus Heights, CA

green5, It's suppose to be gentler and maybe better then the method pumpking described. You transfer the pollen from the male flower by placing the Q-tip on the stamen. The pollen will literally jump onto the Q-tip. You then gently rub the Q-tip onto the female flower. Repeat as needed.

11/20/2015 12:08:28 AM

Germany

Forgot to point out that the stamen will only slightly touch the stigma (or roll the stamen across the stigma), but don´t rub the stamen on the stigma, because that might cause injuries and infections.
Thought that this would bring much more pollen onto the stigma within less treatments, whereas a Q-tip would transfer a small amount of the pollen load of a stamen in each application (didn´t know that the Q-tip method would be more gentle, in case of rubbing on the stigma it probably is).

11/20/2015 12:51:03 AM