The Pollination Story
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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: |
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
