This is an example of another butternut controlled pollination that was done three days earlier. Three days coverage
with the paper bag is a prudent length of time to leave on, as less time has resulted in disrupting a setting blossom on
the inside walls of the now crumpled bag when it it was pulled off earlier. If the bag is not clearly loose it should be
torn open as this bag was.
A closer view of a succesful cross that should grow to maturity carrying cross pollinated seeds. The withered
flower is left to drop off naturally.
Following are a sequence of some pollination scenes of spagetti type squash plants in Cucurbia Pepo. They show
technique with smaller squash blossoms.
The bag is lifted off, revealing an opened female flower ready to be pollinated.
After pollination the ends of the female flower are gathered together, then the string is raised up to the top of the
female flower.
The string is tightened to form a complete seal against insects.
A few additional pictures are included for general information.
This is a view of the south butternut squash site dedicated to cross pollinations.
This is a view of the north butternut squash site dedicated to cross pollinations.
This is the spagetti X dumpling backcrossed to spagetti evaluation planting in which each plant is self pollinated with
its own pollen to preserve the genetic distinctiveness of each unique squash plant.
