The Pollination Story

comparecukes2.jpg (22264 bytes) Poorly pollinated cucumbers don't develop in the areas where seeds aren't fertilized by a grain of pollen. A bee needs to visit the female flower 15-20 times to ensure that enough grains of pollen are distributed on the sticky stigma. Shortage of bees is the most common reason for poor pollination. Farmers put bees into the fields to ensure good pollination. Both these cukes are the same age.


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Poorly pollinated, tasteless melon:
White (unfertilized)  seeds tell the story.
It has nothing to do with "too much soda."

Well pollinated, sweet melon: Black seeds are the ones that received a grain of pollen, so they and the flesh around them could fully develop.

   For more pollination information go to:
Jan's Educational Page
Dave's Page for Fruit and Vegetable Growers and Beekeepers
McGregor's Pollination "Bible"
Pollination 2000: A study of the value of honeybee pollination