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Mass

Anyone have problems when cutting males the night before, putting in water and not working? I had 3 males from a fellow grower, we cut about 6pm, put them in water overnight, They werent all the way open in the morning, kinda 2/3 I would say. Pollen wasnt all nice and fluffy, scraped off, pollenated 1 that day. refridgerated, pollenated 3 the next day. None of them took. I also brought some squash pollen home from my main patch to house patch in the same manner, sp i could do one plant first thing. same thing. not all the way open, squash aborted. sad thing... the pumpkin pollen (my road trip pollen) 1810!! all on what would have been 2nd sets.

7/7/2011 5:55:39 PM

Fairport,NY

Just make sure to put in a sunny location.(east facing window)
I find that they are fully opened at around 9:30-10:00am but can be just starting to open at around 7:00?

7/7/2011 6:03:07 PM

Mass

Hmm? it was 6:30-7am, would that make the pollen not ready?

7/7/2011 6:27:23 PM

canal winchester ohio

When I worked early mornings I would put the males under a table lamp at 3 in the morning & by 4 they would be open. Pollinations always took.

7/7/2011 7:13:07 PM

Springfield, VT

I bring my male flowers in the night before about 6 pm. The next morning at 6-6:30 am the are beginning to open they are left in a glass of water on the table. The pollen is good for pollenation. No problem with the pollen setting female flowers.

Squash are always tough to take they are very temperature sensitive,

7/7/2011 8:18:44 PM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

Funny thing...same thing happened on 3 males from my 1421 stelts for a friend. We cut them, put them in water and they didn't open for 2 days...never used them.

7/8/2011 10:04:11 AM

Lexington, Ky

I also position mine in a window for morning sun, if no sun, then artificial light. I use a hair dryer to get that pollen all fluffed up.

Sometimes the flowers don't open but the pollen is still there and it's good.

I've yet to have temp problems pollinating squash. Some growers are beginning to argue that excess nitrogen causes squash aborts.

7/8/2011 10:21:49 AM

Mass

Only other thing could be temp. It wasnt extremely hot 75-80 i think, very bright though. I use clear plastic cups to cover before and after. They could have acted like little greenhouses and cooked them. Never had an issue with it before. Im going to ties blossom shut instead from now on. But most of them are usually under canopy of leaves and not in full sun.

7/8/2011 12:55:50 PM

canal winchester ohio

I would be willing to bet the clear cups affected it. The easiest way to tie the female closed is grab a tendril & use it. Works great.

7/8/2011 2:28:31 PM

Lloydminster/AB

I've had that happen when the males are kept too cool. I think they open by the temp. No problems at 6:00 am if they are warm. Of course I've had 2 hours of sun by then. Lol pull the grow lights out one more time!

7/8/2011 10:32:24 PM

Simi valley, ca

Paint strainers work great to cover female ,if you got sand pour a little around to hold the end of strainer down to ground , in morning do the same ! ,

7/26/2011 12:29:06 AM