From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ellwood City, PA, USA

On my work days, I leave at 5:00 AM and get home at 5:00 PM. I am obviously missing prime pollination time.

Is there any way, you can think of, to successfully pollinate outside of prime time? (Before sunrise, I suppose.)

I had to open pollinate last year for this very reason. I would like to perform controlled pollinations, if possible.

I have a blossom getting ready to open in the next couple of days. I am not sure it will wait until my days off to open.

I'd appreciate any ideas.

6/25/2015 8:31:19 PM

Springfield, VT

I have pollenated the night before by opening the female and placing the males in the flower. The pollen ripens and falls on the female in the morning. You do need to keep the bottom part of the male on to allow it to work.

6/25/2015 8:41:07 PM

Central Minnesota

I pollinate between 5 and 6 am every time. The females are never open yet and neither are the males. Just help her open up pollinate and tie her back shut. No problem, they will take.

6/25/2015 9:39:40 PM

Bryan, Ohio

I do the same as Fisher an some times at 3 am

6/26/2015 5:31:43 AM

Ellwood City, PA, USA

Sounds good. I will give that a try. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences.

6/26/2015 6:22:07 AM

Mulino, Oregon

I harvest my male flowers that I want to use the night before they will open . I put them in a cup of water at room temperature. The pollen is nice and fluffy and available for use the next morning at 5:30. Almost all my pollinations are done this way.

6/26/2015 10:21:27 AM

Piqua, Ohio

Nothing like the smell of pumpkin pollen in the morning.

6/26/2015 7:05:35 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I've pollinated in the evening when I get home. Sometimes 6-7 p.m and they take....

6/26/2015 11:49:47 PM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

I wish they made perfume that smell. They smell so good on opening morning.

6/27/2015 5:41:26 AM

Ellwood City, PA, USA

I tried pollinating in the evening before and it didn't take. Sounds like it may be possible though.

I will try pollinating extra early in the morning. I think the cooler temps may help.

6/27/2015 8:05:30 AM

East Jordan, MI

In my opinion, you will have a much better chance pollinating early than in the evening. Except for an odd outlier, I think the female is only viable for a few hours.

If you are not going to grow the seeds from the pumpkin next year, there is absolutely no reason to hand pollinate (unless you have no bees) let the bees do your pollinations, they have been doing it for eons.

The pollen has no effect on this years pumpkin, only the seeds from this pumpkin.

The simple fact is that most people go after the big seeds every year instead of growing their own or a cross from a pumpkin not in the top 10, so creating a cross is not paramount, growing a pumpkin is.

You just have to decide what it is that you want.

Good Luck

6/27/2015 10:17:48 AM

Ellwood City, PA, USA

Cntryboy, I fully agree with your points. It makes no difference on the pumpkin sitting in your patch in October, when it comes to the pollination.

Your point about chasing the "big" seeds is spot on; so most of the time, the pollination cross really doesn't matter to the average grower.

I normally let the bees do it if I am not around, so I am not opposed to open pollination by any means.

I would like to make a specific cross this year if possible and start planting my own seeds. That is where my personal dilemma comes in.

6/27/2015 11:38:08 AM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

I too have been successful with some PM pollinations, but like the AM better. I don't have the budget to compete for the industry leaders, and am content, knowing most any AG these days has the potential to finish well in many of our local weight-offs, but I do prefer to know the genetics, and keeping them accurate.

6/27/2015 12:01:10 PM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

I too have been successful with some PM pollinations, but like the AM better. I don't have the budget to compete for the industry leaders, and am content, knowing most any AG these days has the potential to finish well in many of our local weight-offs, but I do prefer to know the genetics, and keeping them accurate.

6/27/2015 12:06:40 PM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

Well heck

6/27/2015 12:07:28 PM

East Jordan, MI

Nothing wrong with making a cross you believe in and growing it, its a whole new level of the competition.

I have successfully pollinated at 5 am, but have had enough failures that I was going in later on pollination days.., maybe that is an option for you. ( I had a flat on the way to work, damn alarm clock didn't go off -- lol )

I have heard of a few people using a hair dryer on low to get the males ready in the morning not sure if that works with the female or not.

The last two years, Teresa has picked up that torch and pollinates for us before she goes to work at 7ish .... much better success rate.

Good luck!

6/27/2015 12:59:39 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Glad you are in the game James... and an early pollination to boot!

6/29/2015 12:08:57 PM

Ellwood City, PA, USA

Good news! The female opened this morning and it is my day off. Perfect timing.

The female has 5 nice symmetrical lobes.

I loaded it up with pollen from 4 freshly opened males.

6/30/2015 8:57:42 AM