How to hand pollinate

kmwbylchau

Hi.

This is my first year with a polytunnel and also the first time growing Butternut Squash. I have around 6 or so plants, a couple of plants had fruit and were doing very well (excitment levels were high when I spotted the first fruits!), no problem there.

However, the other plants just have lots of leaf and male flowers with nothing else. I want to hand pollinate to see if I can get something this late on but don't know how to if there are no females?

Should also note, I had an escapee pig who got into the polytunnel and ate everything - including the lovely growing BNS and my cucumbers, and tomatoes and a bite out of some peppers (she obviously didn't like them!).

Any advice on pollination gratfefully received. 

Lyn

You do it with a paint brush, but it’s usually done by the bees or hoverflies.
if you don’t have any females you can’t do it. 

kmwbylchau

Thank you Lyn. Oddly, the other plants that had the fruit on (I'm not yet over the pig incident!) do seem to seem to just have females so I'll see what I can do there.

Again, thanks for your comment. 

Lyn

If you have signs of some females coming just dab a paint brush or cotton bud onto the male then onto the female.  I use my finger on my peppers  but that’s probably not the correct way.