Dude!

[errantember]

Did you know that most pollination isn't done by honeybees? It's done, instead, by a huge variety of less social bees, some of whom are hundreds of times more productive pollination-wise.

I'm thinking the stunted watermelons I've been getting may well be due to lack of pollination. Might be time to build some bee houses!

Comments

[s1ren.livejournal.com]

You probably already know this, but you can pollinate them yourself with a clean q-tip, for the time being. I've done this with squashes before, and it worked just fine. :)

[errantember.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering if lack of pollination is why my watermelon plant is setting lots of watermelons, only to have them fall off when they're still 1 inch long. Are there not plants (plums come to mind) where the plant will fruit without pollination, but not well?

I tried hand pollinating them by way of flicking the reproductive organs together with my fingertip, but I haven't done it with a q-tip.

[s1ren.livejournal.com]

I believe you're right, although I'm not sure which fruits/veggies are like that, off the top of my head.

I know with squash, when young squash fall off prematurely, it's often due to irregular watering or poor soil conditions (something with the mineral balance, but I'm not sure exactly what)...I wonder if melons are the same way?