male or female flowers? before they open?

[USMCtanker]

hello. been reading the book seed to seed and i have a quick ? i know if u wanna hand pollinate your mellons for example u need to find a female and male. i can tell the diffrence but my ? is can u tell before they open if they will be male or female. i plan to use masking tape and tape the flowers before they open so i can do it by hand, has anyone done this? also whats the best way to tell when the flower will open soon? i know they say get up real early to check but i work late so usually like to sleep in lol. thanks for any info or stories on how u guys do it.

 

[Kya D]

I have only been able to tell male/female on squash plants but I found these links.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7806478_tell-male-female-cucumber-plants.html
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/vegetable/female-male-squash-blossoms.htm
What kind of plants were you trying to hand polinate?

 

[KallieLashay]

How do you tell the difference? Last year I had two plants and no squash and this year all 6 of them are producing squash from what I can tell. I just can't keep the ants off of them!

 

[RonsGarden]

Pumpkins, squash, cucumbers and all the melon species have separate sexed flowers.
Male flowers are always produced first followed by female flowers.
Female flowers have a swelling (ovary/mini fruit) between the stem and flower, the males ones do not!
In my experience the female flowers form when the temps stay warm (65F) for the night time temp!
With cooler temps only male flowers form!
Usual formation of male and female flowers start developing at the same time in June onward!

 

[Crabbergirl]

I went to the garden last night and I have 8 squash about 3 inches long! Off to a good start!

 

[Dor]

Great Nancie. I tried two years to grow squash and they all the little ones would shrink and die. A Master Garden told me that here in Texas they don't do well. Needless to say I am growing them again this year.

 

[KallieLashay]

I had about 3 or 4 squashes on each plant. I didn't know that the flower stays on when the squash is being formed. Since last year I didn't have ANY squash.

I only have about 1 flower with no squash on it so I'm assuming that it's a male flower?

 

[KallieLashay]

hello. been reading the book seed to seed and i have a quick ? i know if u wanna hand pollinate your mellons for example u need to find a female and male. i can tell the diffrence but my ? is can u tell before they open if they will be male or female. i plan to use masking tape and tape the flowers before they open so i can do it by hand, has anyone done this? also whats the best way to tell when the flower will open soon? i know they say get up real early to check but i work late so usually like to sleep in lol. thanks for any info or stories on how u guys do it.

Here is a link to a photo. The bottom of the flowers appear to be different so I think you should be able to tell the difference.

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/sshow.asp?ssid=2&slddtl=1