Hand pollinating summer squash!

[tedln]

I have a lot of female summer squash blooms on, but not a single male bloom in sight. I'm also not seeing any pollinators around yet. If a male bloom appears one morning, I have a lot of work for it to do. It really isn't unusual to have lots of females and few males.

I'm curious about the viability of squash pollen. I would like to collect a lot of male blooms when they are available and wash the pollen into a small amount of water. I would then like to use a mister bottle to simply mist/spray pollen into the female blooms.

Any idea how long the pollen remains viable when suspended in water? (I know it isn't fair because I am taking all the fun out of it for the flowers)

Ted

[Gary350]

That sounds like an excellent plan. I have read you can use a cotten Q tip to pollenate other plants. I have tried the Q tip trick it works. The water pollen spray sounds like it is a lot easier than a Q tip.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Interesting idea Ted.

I don't have an answer for you. I tried Google, with no luck. What I did find. Spritzing water so the pollen will stick and spritzing sugar water as a attractant.

[tedln]

I think it would work "if". The "if's" are kinda large though. I don't know if the pollen is diluted below viability when mixed with water. I don't know if the pollen simply has a very short shelf life when in water. I don't know if the pollen can be mechanically damaged by being pressurized in a spray bottle/tip.

Ted

[jal_ut]

I have no idea about washing the pollen with water.

The method I suggest is just pick the male flower and pull the petals off then go visit the females with the male part.

Usually squash will send out male blossoms first. This is a but unusual.

[tedln]

I have no idea about washing the pollen with water.

The method I suggest is just pick the male flower and pull the petals off then go visit the females with the male part.

Usually squash will send out male blossoms first. This is a but unusual.

Yep, that is the way I have always done it also. Just looking for an easier way so I want have to raise the netting so high after I let it down over the beds. Always seemed to me female blooms come first in the spring. A little later, both male and female blooms arrive. Late in the season, male blooms seem to outnumber the female blooms. I think by having female blooms early with no male blooms, may be the plants way of preparing itself for reproduction. If it set male blooms early with the female blooms, a lot of the energy the plant needs to grow will go to fruiting instead. I guess you could say they are making a dry run testing everything out. The plants are still small and immature.

Ted

[garden5]

You could possibly find out an answer to your question if you contacted one of your local extension offices or a horticultural school if you have one nearby.