Gardening for Beginners : Hand Pollination Cucurbits

Male Flower Stigma

Female Flower Stamen

Hi friends, Did you know that plants like Cucumbers, Melons, and Cantaloupe can be hand pollinated to produce fruit? All of these plants have both male and female flowers on the same vine. Traditionally the pollination is done with insects such as ants or honey bees getting pollen from one flower and spreading it to the next one. Honey bees are doing this unknowingly while they are on a constant search for nectar to take back to there bee colony .

To hand pollinate any of the three vegetables mentioned above. You must find the male and female flowers on the vine. To find the female flower is easy because it has a miniature fruit on the end of the flower. This is called the ovary. In the center of the female flower is the stamen which is the part where the male stigma is rubbed to fertilize the female. Please see( pictures above)

I would be happy to answer any and all questions about fertilization and hand pollination. Visit us here