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Syracuse, NY

It May bee early, butt, I was looking into 'Closed Pollination' via the Site Search window, a treasure trove of information in general, and feel that we as a group eternally need to be more vigilant when it comes to our methods of seeing to it that the MOST that CAN be done to preserve the purity of a cross is being done rather than just enough to assert that it was 'close enough' to a 'Closed Pollination'; I dunno how anyone has the time to snap a picture of an open pumpkin bloom and carefully pollinate it and then snap another with the pollen caked onto it like frosting and NOT have a bee or other insect jump in and waddle around long enough to contaminate said blossom.
Maybe my bees are just that much more aggressive?
I generally pollinate mine up to and including @ 1 PM in CNY,
and the flowers are usually quite wilty by then and I'm guessing the bees are fewer, lol.

However, since I can use these little numbers (Organza Bags) and only pull them half-off-of the flower in preparation:

https://www.papermart.com/p/standard-flat-organza-bags/

I then have those extra few seconds needed to do all that I need to and get the post-poll
8-inch Zip Tie around the poll'd female before any invasion;
Pre-starting that is helpful of course, as well;

Every year, at least ONE occurs!
Awwww, hafta cross off (lol) the label stake and write 'BEE' or 'GDI'.

I have never ordered from the above 'site, but I can't WAIT to do it!
Maybe a dull color will actually HELP in not attracting bugs.

Search:

Organza Bags

and

closed pollination
2, 3, 5, 6, 7 posts read from the BOTTOM;

I seem to agree with LIpumpkin and MontyJ a bit - I briefly read them closely;

Also OkieGal has my blessing, lol:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=87466

THEM be da goods!
Man, unless you're growing in a greenhouse...oyyy!!! eric g

1/30/2022 6:41:21 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

Pollinate early, 6-6:30am, bees are not flying yet. It's pretty easy to take pictures or video when nothing can get in because nothing is flying yet

1/30/2022 7:24:54 PM

Syracuse, NY

Hmmm, on the other end of my timeframe is that of normal growers - good to note! eg

1/30/2022 9:58:12 PM

Grittyville, WA

I hear ya. If I walk ten feet away there will be a bee in that blossom by the time I get back. Of course, the one time I relied on the bees to do a pollination for me, they didnt, ironically. On that day they had other sweeter flowers distracting them and they moved no pumpkin pollen at all.

1/31/2022 12:10:12 AM

valtierra/spain

It is best to close the day before both the males and the female. And always pollinate at 66-68 degrees. If the pollen is very cold, or very hot, it does not work well. The ideal is those 66-68 degrees. Sometimes it will be 7 am, other times 9 am. If the day is going to be very very cold, it is best to keep the male flowers closed at home from the day before, and pollinate at that temperature when the female flower is at 66-68. It works well for me.

2/1/2022 3:36:45 PM