Pollination Troubles

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Pollination Troubles

Since pollination is dependent on many factors, there are times when it doesn't happen or doesn't happen enough.

Some species of plants, like melons and cucumbers, have male and female flowers and they may not always open at the same times. Plants may grow in places where pollinators can't get to them, like on a high balcony of a tall building or in a non-native location. Maybe only a few pollinators stop by at the appropriate time because of weather-related constraints.

The best way to ensure thorough pollination is simply to have lots of pollinating insects around!

Whatever the causes, if a plant is not pollinated, the fruit of that plant will not grow. If it is partially pollinated, it will grow, but it will look small, possibly misshapen, and its color may differ from that of a well-pollinated example.

Aside from hand-pollinating every flower, the best way to ensure thorough pollination is simply to have lots of pollinating insects around!

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A partially pollinated cucumber (top) compared with a completely pollinated cucumber. The seeds did not form throughout the poorly pollinated cucumber and consequently the fruit did not grow around that portion.

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Pollination Troubles (Runtime 0:46)

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