As I mentioned in another blog this year is my first try at growing things in the tunnel house. I really am just playing, but it is fun to see things growing at twice the speed that they usually would at this time of year. However, one of the big differences between growing inside versus outside is the lack of nature's little helpers inside. Although I have planted flowers etc. inside the house chances of bees and butterflies making their way in are reasonably limited. So, this morning I started my trial of hand pollinating the zucchinis. I have never bothered outside as I always plant them in blocks and therefore the wind and insects easily pollinate them for me, but after watching a few small zucchinis die away as a result of non-pollination I figured they need a helping hand... so out came the cotton buds and I attempted to pollinate the female flower - I'm not sure if it will be successful, but I was surprised at how different the two flowers were - okay so I really haven't been very observant in the past! Very distinctive male and female "bits". I'm just not certain which part of the female bit needs to be fertilised..... I guess trial and error will help me with that!Also for anyone wondering about my little friend the snake.... I couldn't face it watching me anymore so it is now no longer around..... but I did see another one yesterday afternoon - it's relatives have come back to haunt me!
Growing my chillis inside I've had to give them a hand too. I started out using cotton buds, but that got a bit tricky and boring when there were about 100 flowers to get around.
ReplyDeleteNow I just give the whole plant a firm shake (as suggested on a website somewhere). Seems to work just as well, if not better!
Not sure how you'd go about shaking a zucchini plant though....