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Post by blackox on Mar 12, 2014 8:11:29 GMT -5
I've got two breeding projects in mind (with both melons and watermelons, actually the "breeding project with melons is more of playing around) so I'm doing a little planning ahead. I have not tried hand-pollinating very much at all. I have read about hand-pollinating squash, and it looks fairly simple. Is hand-pollinating melons or watermelons as easy as hand-pollinating squash? And how would you close the flower after hand-pollinating (the flowers are pretty small)?
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Post by jondear on Mar 12, 2014 11:23:13 GMT -5
My method is to pick a male blossom and after removing the petals rubbing them together. I don't bother closing the petals back (I am good with contamination). I have read taping the flower back up is one method. For me if I were interested in a "good cross" a cheap plastic clothes pin seems like it would be easier.
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Post by Walk on Mar 12, 2014 12:00:14 GMT -5
I've found that for the smaller flowers on melons and cukes that I've had better success if I use 3 or 4 males to pollinate one female. I do stick wide masking tape over the finished flower.
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Post by rowan on Mar 12, 2014 13:56:29 GMT -5
I use tomato grafting clips but since I am having trouble finding the ones I prefer at the moment I am going to try Carol Depps method of using pill shells (or whatever they are called) to do mine next season.
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Post by ferdzy on Mar 12, 2014 17:38:00 GMT -5
I got little nylon organza bags at the dollar store - I think they were 3 for 1$. They are actually meant for party favours, like sugared almonds at weddings and that kind of thing. They have little drawstring necks, so you can close them up quite firmly. I thought they worked quite well, although only one of my deliberate crosses took. I'll be using them again this year!
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Post by rowan on Mar 12, 2014 18:49:42 GMT -5
I did use organza bags and liked them but on damp mornings they ruined the flowers.
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Post by ferdzy on Mar 12, 2014 19:50:34 GMT -5
Ah. Dampness isn't much of a problem, around here, when the melons are in bloom. (Still looking for a better rain dance.)
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Post by blackox on Mar 13, 2014 6:46:09 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies!
Dampness is a problem here as I live in a swamp in a valley, so those are out of question. I'll have to keep an eye out for some clips or something next time I'm out...
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Post by rowan on Mar 13, 2014 15:06:48 GMT -5
These are the clips I like to use:
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Post by blackox on Mar 13, 2014 19:46:00 GMT -5
Great thanks, now I know what they look like!
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Post by jondear on Jul 12, 2014 12:48:31 GMT -5
Of the crosses that happened in my breeding patch last year, the most notable difference has to be a cross with petite gris. Last year it had wimpy leaves and slow growth compared to the other varieties. This year, however, it is out pacing the rest in vine growth with much bigger leaves. Hopefully I can eat more this year. So far it looks promising. Females are just now setting on and I'll do hand crosses until I notice the bees working them.
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 13, 2014 17:36:30 GMT -5
What about the small size black paper clips?
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Post by diane on Jul 20, 2014 1:18:50 GMT -5
I have my melons and cucumbers growing in the greenhouse. I caught some bumblebees and put them by the melons, hoping they'd pollinate them, but they weren't interested - they had been pollinating leeks when I caught them, and the melons didn't have nearly enough flowers compared to the leeks.
So it is up to me. I haven't seen any female flowers on the melons. Are they as obviously female as squash or cucumber flowers, or are they subtle?
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 20, 2014 22:47:50 GMT -5
It is obvious as long as you have ok vision. Melon flowers are delicious BTW. I put them in some salad mix. They have hundreds per plant anyway.
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