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Grittyville, WA

"1314 Laub 2017 (2109 Zywiec X Open) Dang bee found under cup!"

Well I know sometimes the a cup can hold a flower shut but (I was a beekeeper for 20 years) I can say that if they are hungry they WILL try to get in a covered flower and they can fit through a 1/4" hole easily, and they can push past any loose flimsy part of the petal to get in if they are short on food their behavior does get more tenacious. I think tying shut or using a clamp or clothespin would work best. This works for males too, or they can be brought inside the night before (when they start to show a little fringe of yellow/orange they'll pop open the next day.)

The other mistake I saw in a diary (I don't remember and wouldn't want to poke fingers) is to cover the female with a screen mesh. Sure, this keeps bees out, but it doesn't keep pollen out. What about the bee that lands on the mesh and tries for a minute to get in, and drops pollen through the screen the whole time its dancing around trying to get in?!

Bee careful... nature likes to find a way ha ha.

1/14/2018 11:19:15 AM

Western Massachusetts

Nature finds a way.. love it! So true. Good info here thanks

1/14/2018 1:33:07 PM

Alex, IN

I tie mine closed the night before and leave them closed up to the moment I pollinate. After pollination I tie them closed again and cover them with a white styrofoam cups until the morning after pollination.

1/14/2018 6:26:33 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Mikkal, what do you use to tie with? Thin string seemed to cut through at times, so I am now using mom's knitting yarn. Any thoughts? Peace, Wayne

1/15/2018 12:13:55 AM

Germany

tying shut perhaps keeps bees out, but not bumblebees - I once found one biting a hole through the petals. I use nylon sockings and shade the place with a white plastic to prevent overheating. The bees dont recognize the flower inside, especially with all these yellow shining males around.

1/15/2018 4:45:58 AM

Pittsburgh, PA

I cut up strips of old t shirts. Works great for tomatos peppers and AG blossoms.

1/15/2018 1:01:42 PM

Lasalle,mi

This is what I use and it's inexpensive. Does not cut into the flower.

https://www.poolsuppliescanada.ca/teflon-tape-10.5m-x-1-2-12mm.html

1/15/2018 2:47:52 PM

Alex, IN

I use yarn Wayne, best way to go in my opinion.

1/15/2018 7:10:56 PM

Ashville Ohio

Fuzzy pipe cleaners.. Wrap them around flower and no knots

1/15/2018 7:53:02 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I use paint strainers.I do not know if they are perfect but they definately are convenient.

1/15/2018 7:53:15 PM

Massachusetts

I'm with bnot. I use home depot paint strainers for pollinations and sunflower heads

1/15/2018 8:11:14 PM

Grittyville, WA

Last year the system I liked was that I used a clothespins to keep them from opening and bindweed to tie 'em shut--worked every time--I also found that with a lot of plants it was useful to mark them with marking flag, the type that come 100 to a bundle. The advantage of this is a permanent marker can be used to write the date and cross on the flag and it lasts all season.

I bought the marking flags at the my local farm and feed store for about $6. A industrial supply store or hardware store might have them also.

https://www.uline.com/BL_7132/Stake-Flags?pricode=WT442&AdKeyword=wire%20flags%20for%20marking&AdMatchtype=e&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv9qslq7b2AIVF6vsCh1SEAm3EAAYASAAEgJ8V_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

1/15/2018 8:59:05 PM

Grittyville, WA

An advantage of keeping the flower shut with a clothespin might be that its easier to close (tie) the flower back up without tearing the petals?

1/15/2018 9:01:56 PM

Grittyville, WA

Clothespins are a little tricky though because one petal could slip out and the flower could partially open. It just requires postioning the clothespin just right so that this can't happen.

1/15/2018 9:08:41 PM

Ontario, Canada

We've used clothespins for years without any issues. Just make sure it's place at a spot that will securely hold the pedals. If you have the males ready in the morning, then you only need to let the female flower open just enough to put in the male to pollinate it. After we pollinate the female, we close the flower back up & secure with the same clothespin.

1/16/2018 7:46:01 AM

Lexington, Ky

Quadruple protection in my patch. Night before, zip tie on the flower, mesh bag zip tied around the base of fruit, foam cup on top, paper bag over all, pollinate and repeat with same.

1/16/2018 11:40:32 PM

Colorado

A nice fat piece of twine to tie shut works great along with a cheap Walmart white wash cloth for shade and disguise from bees.Two much work for males so I bring those inside

1/17/2018 3:41:04 PM

Walhalla, ND.

I use small zip ties

1/22/2018 7:19:39 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I tie my male and females close a few days before they are to open with string. Then I put a woman's nylons ( I cut the ends off of them) over each male and female. Then after I pollinate the female, I do the same thing. But I add a styrofoam coffee cup over the female. Triple protection I call it...

1/22/2018 9:31:19 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

cojoe, I am off to wallyworld to buy white wash cloths tommorrow!! Peace, Wayne

1/23/2018 12:24:31 AM

Willamette Valley, Oregon

Flagging tape like this stuff works great to tie off males and females in the patch:

https://www.amazon.com/Flagging-Tape-Non-Adhesive-Plastic-Ribbon/dp/B0041P5LLI?th=1

It's very forgiving and doesn't tear petals if even the tiniest bit of care is used. and closes and re-closes easily and tightly.

I stay away from anything hard like zip ties / clothes pins.

and yes, tall pin flags to mark them.

1/23/2018 1:45:48 AM

Manitowoc

I use small nylon zip ties before and after pollinating, needle nose wire cutter. So far I've never damaged any petals on the females. Occasionally after tying them shut, I would use the foot of a pair of nylons, and cover the entire blossom and zip tie it at the base.

4/3/2018 10:13:14 PM