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Iowa

I'm curious what the preferred manual pollination method is that's being used by some of the most successful growers. It seems that successful pollinations are a very critical first step in growing big matters! I know there are video's showing how to tap the blossoms, using an electric toothbrush or even using a small paint brush. I have both tapped or lightly shake the blossom and the electric toothbrush technique.....neither one seems to work very well to be honest. The success rate is still small. Are there other techniques that work better? I have some nice blossoms starting to show up and would love to see them take. Hoping to find that missing piece to my pollination puzzle. Thanks

6/8/2026 11:26:24 PM

Grittyville, WA

Try using the toothbrush on single blossoms at about 8-10 am. They won't all have pollen in them but once you see the pollen pour out of a few of them, then hopefully you can figure out the rest.

6/9/2026 12:06:43 AM

San Diego, CA

I can share what works for me.... etooth brush on the back of the blossom shortly after the dew evaporates, ie late morning. Catch the extra pollen in a spoon, then very gently collect the pollen & apply directly to the stigma with a qtip/mini paint-brush/makeup applicator/etc. Do this daily until the pollen stops dropping. Scott (Altitude Maters) has a good tutorial on his diary either last year or the year before.

6/9/2026 12:58:39 AM

Warwood

Saw the tutorial. Good advice from all.

6/19/2026 5:26:43 PM

Colorado

I should do YouTube video. Pictures are ok but a good video might help people more. When I am buzzing my flowers and putting a spoon under them and gently bumping the flower against the spoon I get really good pollination rates on single blooms. Megablooms I like to hand polinate with a small black foam makeup applicator. Even if you don't hand paint them putting a black spoon under them as you vibrate them with an electric toothbrush let's you get a feel for when the flowers are shedding the most pollen so you can time it better.

7/2/2026 10:59:07 PM

Grittyville, WA

I'm sure your method is good Scott, this year I've been extra lazy and just vibrated pollen on my finger. One less item to hold. But it's a bit dysfunctional maybe.

7/2/2026 11:30:29 PM