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Old 27-07-2004, 04:04 PM
ATL
 
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Default Zucchini pollination technique

I have searched for and read several earlier threads about zucchini
problems. My two zucchini plants put on fruit, but after growing to
lengths of around 3-4", they shriveled up and died. From what I have
read it sounds like the problem is a lack of bees to pollinate the
plants. I did not, however, read the exact method of hand pollinating
the zucchini. I understand you take a male flower, which is located
on a fruitless stem, and rub it against a female flower, which is the
flower on the end of a fruit. Assuming that is correct, my question
then is do I open the female flower to pollinate? The flowers on the
ends of my zucchini are closed. I tried rubbing the male flower on a
closed female flower and I tried rubbing the male flower on a female
flower that I opened manually. Neither appears to have worked. I may
have been too late or else my technique needs improving. Also, how
soon should I pollinate the female flowers? As soon as they are first
formed or should I wait until they grow to a couple of inches long?

If it makes any difference in identifying my zucchini problem, I have
cucumbers planted in the same box of my Square Foot Garden and they
have done very well. That's one of the reasons I ruled out soil
related problems.