From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ohio

How much pollin does it take to Pollinate a female flower, will one little speck do it?

6/22/2004 10:20:58 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Successful pollination can be accomplished with only one female (I tried it several times) but if I have available more male flowers I like to use one male per lobe in the female flower.

6/22/2004 11:26:54 AM

You need to get pollen on each lobe of the female flower, otherwise the pumpkin could grow odd-shaped. I have had success with only using pollen from male, but if I had a choice I would use more. Better safe than sorry. Rather have too much pollen than not enough, and have it not set.

6/22/2004 1:04:56 PM

Edmonton, Canada

One speck of pollen will only fertilize one potential seed. That's why alot of pollen is needed.

6/22/2004 1:16:09 PM

Greene County, Pa.

I think of the female flower sort of as a ear of corn. Every silk in the ear has to be pollinated or the ear wont be full. So inside the female flower there must be hundreds of the "holes" for pollen to get in, maybe just as many as there is seeds. So the more pollen you get in there the more seeds. I dont have enough experience to say the fruit will be deformed if not pollinated totaly..just my 2 cents..
BuddyG

6/22/2004 2:35:48 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

You're right that each "speck" of pollen goes to an
individual seed. Use as much pollen as you have available
on any particular morning.

If I'm not mistaken, this is why every seed in a pumpkin
is different. Similar, but different. Each one has a unique
genetic makeup.

Regards, Cliff

http://idahopumpkin.tripod.com/

6/22/2004 5:12:39 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Males...cover overnight, clip, wax paper, vials, freezer. After a week of colecting pollen, you'll have plenty.

6/22/2004 11:56:13 PM

Aromas, CA

I must say that I am quite surprised by these responses. This is the first I have heard about the need for large quanities of pollen. Are you also saying that the SIZE of the AG is based on how much pollen got on the female, or are you just talkiing about the number of seeds inside? If you look at the "how to" section on this site on pollination, it does not address the issue of amount of pollen required. I am note sure, but I think Don's book III discusses the need for "one grain" of pollen per lobe. (I may be wrong on this source- but someone out there has made such a statement. I guess the bottomline question is: If all lobes got pollinated, and one gets the pumpkin set, does the amount of pollen effect the ultimate size (vs, number of seeds)? Thanks Steve.

6/23/2004 3:36:05 PM

Edmonton, Canada

The amount of pollen won't effect the size of the fruit (as long as there was enough to pollinate each lobe)

However, the amount of pollen will effect the amount of fertile seeds. It would be a real bummer to grow a biggie, and only have a few seeds to show for it. So the moral of the story is, more pollen is better!

6/23/2004 4:31:29 PM