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Elk County, PA

Can it be done? 10 days straight rain. Forecast showing next 10 will be the same.

7/1/2013 8:58:34 AM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

Welcome to my he11.
I put little umbrellas over all the girls a couple of days pre opening. I cover five or six boys when the girl gets close. bring them in under fluorescent light night before so he thinks its sunny. Pollinate holding an umbrella over me and her, close her off, and put her little hat back on....so far she is holding on, day 3 and she has gained an inch in size.

7/1/2013 9:24:50 AM

Elk County, PA

I got the tarp up in preparation for wend or thurs just curious if was even possible or I should just wait for better weather

7/1/2013 9:55:38 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Won't hurt to try, and keep it dry.

7/1/2013 10:25:45 AM

Elk County, PA

True, reason I was asking was if by chance Wend is the day I would take a half day vacation so I could do it right, its getting late in the game and our forecast is utter crap. And if there's a slim possibility the pollination would stick, I wouldn't take the vacation day and just rip her open before work....again.... :)

7/1/2013 3:57:15 PM

milford, CT,

Keep the males and female dry..baggies work...

7/1/2013 8:22:43 PM

Elk County, PA

Yeah I have the tarp and use a smaller cover, but I'm thinking maybe I'm opening the female prematurely. But anyways took the day off, figured I worked this hard to get this far a July 3rd/4th pollination sounds a lot better than 14th/15th. So I will patiently wait this time.

7/2/2013 4:01:30 PM

Stanwood, Washington

I pollinate in the rain all the time. Just put little baggies over the flowers the night before and it will keep the water out. you should do this anyway to prevent the bees from contaminating the pollination before you get to it.

7/3/2013 4:07:25 AM

Central Minnesota

You can pollinate in the rain no problem. Two years ago I had to wear muck boots to get to the females to pollinate. They all took. Funny part of the story is I drove 1/2 hour to Chad Reviers patch to get some females and his patch was dry and I get home and needed muck boots to polliate in the pouring rain. We got almost 4 inches that day and all the pollinations took.

7/3/2013 9:06:05 AM

Elk County, PA

Out of habit I've been covering males with sandwich baggies every night and cutting in the morning, and replacing refrigerated ones daily, all this with no signs of any females opening, just kind out of habit lol. But knowing it can be done gives me hope. Not concerned about bees, unlike last year I have yet to find a bee anywhere near my plants, or any kind of insect. Saw two SVB's in early June and nothing but slugs and birds since. Thanks again for the motivation to give it a 110% effort. Attempt 3 will be either tomm or Friday, my gut says Friday. Cross your fingers for me :)

7/3/2013 11:08:01 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Perhaps a bit off the discussion, but I left the mustard in two of my abandoned spaces to grow and flower and it has attracted honey bees by the thousands. However, I've noticed that the bees which are attracted to my pumpkin blossoms are a different species and much less aggressive than the honey bees.

7/3/2013 12:08:22 PM

Elk County, PA

Had excess flowers on my flower factory so I didn't cover them all last night, and found a single bee this morning before a pollination attempt. He looked happy lol.

7/5/2013 10:01:03 AM

Elk County, PA

check my diary for a good story regarding my statement about bees.

7/6/2013 7:52:58 AM