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Re: Do I need to hand pollinate the flowers?

Lisa,
   You do not need to hand pollinate, but most people do. You are insuring
that you get complete pollination. Many cross one specific male with a female
and the resulting seeds will show the cross. When you put pollen grains on
the center of the female flower, the pollen grains germinate much like a seed
germinates. Inside the pollen grain is a tube nucleus and a reproductive
nucleus. An actual pollen tube grows down through the center of the female
flower, where the reproductive nucleus mates with the ovules (baby immature
seeds) inside the female. The genetic information of the male flower is
carried down and mated with the genetic material inside the ovules of the
female. The resulting seeds will show the cross pollination when you plant it
next year. I know of no studies with the Atlantic Giant that has studied the
amount of time it takes to do this, my best guess is that the process would
be complete in a couple days....maybe less.
                                                            pumkinguy@aol.com
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