Zucchini pollination?

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catmad Pelzer, SC(Zone 7b) May 26, 2007

I need help with my zucchini. One of my plants has bloomed, and I need some advice. I usually have bees to help pollinate, but none this year :(. The blooms are huge, but only females are blooming. I have been told to take a male flower, tear off it's petals (how barbaric) and smoosh it (technical term?) around in the female flower, but none of the males are blooming. I suspect they're afraid to. So, any thoughts? Or do I just take off the flowers and tiny fruits and have them for dinner?
Thanks,
Margo

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) May 26, 2007

For the time being, many of the newer hybrids start with female flowers, nothing much you can do until the males appear. The flowers and the baby zukes are prized by many. Sometimes, it helps to interplant an early male flowering cultivar as a pollenizer. Plenty of native bees here, but honeybees are nonexistant. I doubt that there is a beekeeper within miles. No beekeepers , no honeybees.

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Big_Red Bethelridge, KY(Zone 6a) May 27, 2007

Margo, I want one of those plants that grow dollar bills! ☺

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catmad Pelzer, SC(Zone 7b) May 27, 2007

Farmerdill wrote;"For the time being, many of the newer hybrids start with female flowers,"
Hmm. These were "supposed" to be "heirlooms". Wonder what I got instead? I saw one honeybee yesterday, but that's only the third this year. Last year there were lots. I am seeing a bee (at least, I think it's a bee) that I'm not familiar with. Looks like a little Bumble, about 3/4" long, fuzzy yellow back (don't appear to be striped) and black rear end. Any thoughts?

Hey Big_Red, make me an offer....... ;)
Thanks,
Margo

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