You probably already know that bees are few & far between in urban and suburban gardens.
When the planting of pollinator attracting flowers doesn't seem to encourage bee populations to move in next door to your garden fast enough, Green City Growers' Director of Horticulture Education is here to help you discover the wonders and benefits of hand pollination with a simple step-by-step guide for hand pollinating squash and other fruiting vegetables!
"It's almost always necessary for hand pollination in our urban gardens due to the short supply of bees." -Adrienne Wilson, Director of Horticulture Education
Fruits that do not get pollinated simply die and rot!
Ideally squash bees are employed as the pollinators who make sure the pollen from a squash's male flower is delivered to its female flower's infertile fruits. Although, with the bee populations in both city and suburban gardens in such short supply, it is time for urban gardeners to embrace the practice of hand pollination and to "bee" the bee in their own gardens.
Squash bees specialize in polinating squash blossoms first thing in the morning at the height of their "openness."
Hand Pollinating Squash: Step 1
Pinch off a male flower (it has a tall & skinny stem) and pull back the petals so that the pollen-exposed center is exposed.
Hand Pollinating Squash: Step 2
Using a Q-tip swab the center of the flower...this is where all the good stuff is!
Hand Pollinating Squash: Step 3
Open the female flower's petals. Then, thoroughly dust its inside with the bright yellow pollen from the male and VOILA!! You are now an expert in hand pollination and are on your way to making delicious zucchini recipes like beer battered squash blossoms for all your family & friends!
Another helpful hint from the hort department at Green City Growers is to grow at least two of the same variety of squash or zucchini in your garden. These crops tend to produce only a few flowers per plant so it is a good idea to have an second growing to maximize the chances that your male & female flowers will be blooming at the same time!
Now you know how to "bee" the bee in your own garden!
Learn More
To learn more about hand pollinating squash, pollination in general, and a variety of our other gardening maintenance techniques make sure to check out our book The Urban Bounty: How to Grow Fresh Food, Anywhere. Want a more hands-on approach? Join us for an intensive urban farming weekend July 11-13 during which we will be hosting our Urban Farming Course taught by Green City Growers' team of professionals.
