From

Location

Message

Date Posted

DeWitt, Iowa

How can you make sure you have pollen to pollinate females on the right date?

11/8/2009 12:03:41 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Usually the vines produce males first. If you have to replace a plant and have more than a few weeks between the two, AND you're trying very early in the season to pollenate, you should have males when you need them. If it looks like the males will go a day or two ahead of your female, you can pick them before they open, put them in water, and put them in the refrigerator to slow them down.

Also you can ask another nearby grower if they have a good male supply, and ask them to bag you a few the night before your female is ready IF you really are not going to have pollen (talk to them earlier in the season and they should be fairly close to you).

Or, sometimes I had to use what was ready, not what I wanted, to get an early set. I could always try again with a later set within a few days, then decide which one to cull.

11/8/2009 3:54:06 AM

Clinton, Iowa

SEE GRANT!! that nearby grower would be me and marc!! we will always have pollen to share BUT chances are you will have plenty of your own....we have never had a problem on this front...Well so far anyways!
DAN

11/8/2009 12:02:51 PM

DeWitt, Iowa

lol ok thanks Deb and I hope it doesnt come to that Dan.

11/8/2009 7:19:16 PM

Colorado

Have big plants 15ft plus by late june and youll have plenty of male flowers

11/9/2009 1:46:26 PM