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Bristol R.I. USA

Does anyone know if you get a good application of pollen on the female lobes. Does it matter how the pollen gets there. That meaning does it matter if its caked on or lightly applied. Does it really matter how its applied or does it just matter if it gets on target. Also during hot days when applying ppllen does the use of ice and cooling structures allow the flower to take in more of the genetics or is it just a matter of one grain getting there and the cooling structures used to aid in cooling the area around the flower to get the successful polination during times of heat that can stress or interupt the pollination.

5/3/2011 9:17:59 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

That's a lot of questions in one paragraph, I'l take a stab and maybe others will fill in the gaps.

Ideally, on a nice Summer day about 75-80 degrees, you can let the bees do the work, or you can hand pollinate with one or more stamens and expect good results based on optimal conditions. Extreme heat, cold, wet and/or windy will adversely affect the likelihood of a successful pollination. The female, like us, is more receptive when conditions are ideal. Theoretically, one grain on one lobe can do the trick, however, most growers try to better the odds by pollinating with multiple males on all lobes. Lightly applied is best, some use a paint brush to gently introduce pollen to the female, caked isn't good. Artificially lowering the temps around the female will increase your chances, but a nice seasonal morning during the first week in July is what I'm hoping for.

5/3/2011 9:43:10 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

correct temps, w/ pollen in full bloom/ into a fully mature/ female blossom allows almost any type of pollen transfer!!! painting w/ male blossoms etc...lessening of any of the exact correct time frames, requires more detailed control of pollen application & surrounding environment (Ice to cool female) !!! I guess that's what Andy just said!!! Sorry!!! Peace, Wayne

5/4/2011 2:21:35 AM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

Correct me if i'm wrong. Each grain of pollen represents a potential future seed for repopulating. So
that is why some pumpkins only have a few seeds in them and others are loaded. In nature the only reason there is a fruit at all is to protect the seeds (these giant pumpkins aren't letting anyone push them around are they??) Reproduction in nature is the sole purpose of the life cycle. Only mammals have sex for pleasure (thank God). So, to answer your question- a small amount of pollen is sufficient to produce a big one as long as conditions are right. Something I do is break off the pistol from a male flower and lay it in the female flower. Than as the bees are in and out during the day they are spreading pollen at different times of the day without me worrying about it.
Put em to work!!!!

Phat Joe

5/4/2011 6:40:03 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

pJoe, won't that make it an uncontrolled cross? Just wanting to know? Peace, Wayne

5/5/2011 1:38:26 AM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

Yeah your right peace wayne, but i HAVE NO CHOICE. Gone to work at 7 a.m and not home till 5 kinda puts a dent in control measures in pollinating. And I don't trust anyone else doing it for me. I mean if you get a chance at some good pumpkin sex, you don't turn it down!!!!!!!

Phat Joe

5/6/2011 5:24:38 AM

Muddy Waters

In the north the flower opens at 68 degrees,I never used a brush,but you could,just make sure theres no barbaque sauce on it,I was told at Guelph Seminar the window srarts to close about 73 degrees,The Ice Jug thing is hard for me to wrap my mind around,the plants are huge & full of water,Hows does a couple jugs cool all this??I guess it cant hurt,If you dont bag the flower for 24 hrs you cant claim a cross,it is open pollinated.

5/6/2011 7:16:06 AM

East Jordan, MI

Joe,
While I'm certainly no expert and still learning, I go to work very early and don't want to have to rely on someone else to pollinate for me, so I pollinated between 4:30 and 6:30 last year and was successful on at least 10 ( I practice a lot --lol). Only one didn't take and that was because it was a very hot day.

Mark,
Because of the hot summer and one failed pollination, I received some advice to used ice, fans and shade to keep the ovary (female bloom). The way I understand it is all you have to do is keep the pollen from getting too hot. So I put two frozen gallon jugs on either side of the female, had a fan blowing across one of them toward the bloom and a towel on stakes about a foot above it situated to keep the direct sun off of it -- I had ice out from day before to day after pollination (not sure if it was necessary but it didn't hurt). I kept a thermometer very close to the pumpkin that records high, low and current temp. Temp never went over 80 and never under 70 for that time frame. I worked for 3 that I pollinated when it was 95 degrees.

5/6/2011 8:09:31 AM