Pollination ....Can I Do It Manually?

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Newt,a member here,*told me one reason my veggies probably weren't fruiting was lack of pollination.

SOoooo

Can I take the male squash flowers and either shake the male flower over the female flower*or rub the two stamen*together to make pollination occur?

NC has had a severe decline of honey bees over the years due to pesticides*as the agriculture dept. here told me.

The local agriculture dept. also said that with tomatoes that gently shaking the plants will help create pollination.

So my question is if rubbing the stamen together will work or is there a better was to try and achieve pollination of the veggies .....*short of buying a bee hive (which is*being considered*for next year).

Thanks,

K4lop

(Gerry)*

[backyardgardener]

Process to hand pollinate.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...mpkins&spell=1
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I use a camel hair paint brush to collect the pollen and apply it to the male flower.

[Newt]

Backyardgardener answered this for me.* :)* Oh, and since the wind will pollinate tomatoes, you can gently shake them and that will work too.*

Newt