Hokkaido pumpkin pollination

martyspencer007 · July 2020

hi all
Just a quick question.
1. I have loads of male and female flowers but they are rarely open together the question is can i save the pollen for later somehow.
2. Female flowers are only open for about 6 hours according to Google, can the flower still be pollinated the next day if still slightly open or is it too late
Thanks in advance

Blue Onion · July 2020

I would collect up some male pollen on a craft/artist paint brush and store it in a ziplock bag in the fridge for a day or two until a female flower opens. No idea if it will preserve the pollen, but airtight and cold would probably help. Or maybe even pick off the male flower and put that into the airtight bag and fridge?

martyspencer007 · July 2020

Blue Onion said:

I would collect up some male pollen on a craft/artist paint brush and store it in a ziplock bag in the fridge for a day or two until a female flower opens. No idea if it will preserve the pollen, but airtight and cold would probably help. Or maybe even pick off the male flower and put that into the airtight bag and fridge?

thanks for the reply
do you know anything about how long you can pollinate them for, had 4 open yesterday and 1 male open today but according to google it only works for 6 hours

Blue Onion · July 2020

Doesn't help you this year, but next year grow a variety of pumpkins or squash to aid pollination. Just find the types within the same family.

”Pumpkins, if they are of the species Cucurbita pepo, can cross-pollinate with acorn squash, delicata squash, zucchini and other summer squash because they are all Cucurbita pepo as well. A butternut squash will cross-pollinate with a Kentucky field pumpkin or a Seminole pumpkin because they are all members of the species Cucurbita moschata.“ Link

It has no impact on the fruit, just the seed. So unless you are seed saving, you can grow a variety of different produce but not worry overly much about pollination issues.

Hokkaido pumpkin pollination

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