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N.Benton/Ohio

i have male flowers on a plant i want to use to pollinate another. the problem is the female on the other plant will not open untill tomorrow.will pollen from day old pollen be viable.and whats the best way to keep it over night.any help asap would be much appreciated.
Bryan Ceresna
ZonownZ

7/10/2006 7:24:13 AM

Follansbee, Wv

Hey Bryan,

I know several growers that cut the males the day before pollination and place them in the fridge in a cup of water. Pollen has a fairly long shelf life, so you shouldn't have any problems. If I'm not mistaken, Big Tom P. does this very thing.

7/10/2006 7:40:11 AM

[email protected]

Don't leave the male flower open in the patch. Pollen wioll fall off, be scavenged by insects & give you an open-pollinated fruit.

Like Monty said, get it into the fridge or better yet you can collect the pollen yourself & wrap it in wax paper. Unrefrigerated it will last at least a few days. Refrigerated it will last weeks. Frozen it will last for years.

7/10/2006 7:53:21 AM

Saegertown Pa.

I make a list every day on what is going to open in the morning and the following day. I cut my males at four in the morning for the pumpkins that are going to open that day and the next. The males that are for the next day are put in a glass of water along with the males for that day. Some were between six and nine I pollinate. The males for the next day are put in the refrigerator. If I have no fresh males to cut the next morning four the pumpkins I want to pollinate I will take the ones I cut the day before and use them. I have used males that I have had for three days and they have worked fine, after three days I havent had good luck.

7/10/2006 9:22:28 AM

N.Benton/Ohio

Thanks everyone for the replys.i have allready cut them off early this morning and placed them in a cup of water and now will be moving them to the fridge.I just wasnt quite shure if this was gonna work and if i should change my choice on a pollinater.So tomorrow i will be trying them hopefully with good results.Thanks again everyone.
Bryan

7/10/2006 9:39:45 AM

Beach Park, IL.

This is interesting. I should of done that for my pumpkin that I wanted to pollinate from that plant, but couldn't because there were no males opening on it. When you cut them to put in the fridge, do you cut them that morning when they first open up, or can you cut them the night before they open up?

7/11/2006 12:19:03 AM