22 February 2018, written by Ann Marie Hendry
Without adequate pollination, yields of fruiting vegetables and some other crops such as sweet corn would tumble. It’s for this reason that I like to make a pollination plan to get the best yields possible from my garden. Three simple techniques can be used to boost pollination in your garden: attracting pollinators, harnessing wind and, if all else fails, hand-pollination.
The beautiful and fragrant Barletta floral plant produces delicate blooms that add charm to any garden. However, to get the most out of your Barletta plants, proper pollination is essential. Pollination leads to successful fertilization and seed production, resulting in more abundant blooms and better overall plant health. This comprehensive guide covers key techniques for effective pollination of Barletta floral plants. Follow these tips to maximize your yield.
An Overview of Barletta Floral Plants
Barletta floral plant (Ocimum basilicum) is a type of sweet basil prized for its dense full flower heads and intense clove-like scent. The blooms come in lovely shades of white pink, purple and lavender. In addition to being an ornamental plant, Barletta basil can also be used for culinary purposes due to its sweet, peppery flavor.
Although Barletta will bloom and set seed through self-pollination, cross-pollinating multiple plants leads to a higher number of quality seeds and more vigorous growth. Successfully pollinated Barletta plants will continue flowering abundantly throughout the growing season
How Pollination Works
Pollination occurs when pollen grains are transferred from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma This enables fertilization of the ovules to produce seeds.
In self-pollination, this transfer occurs within a single flower or plant. Cross-pollination involves the movement of pollen between different flowers and plants. Cross-pollination promotes genetic diversity and is more effective for maximizing yields.
Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators carry out natural cross-pollination. But gardeners can also manually cross-pollinate Barletta flowers.
Tips for Manual Cross-Pollination
Follow these steps for effective hand pollination of Barletta floral plants:
Choose Parent Plants
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Select at least two healthy Barletta plants with robust flowers as your parent plants.
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Choose plants with desired traits like bloom color, perfume, plant size etc.
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Parent plants should be different varieties or from different original sources.
Identify Receptive Flowers
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Use freshly opened, undamaged flowers that have visible pollen.
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Stigmas are receptive 1-2 days after the flower opens.
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Morning hours are ideal as stigmas are tacky and will collect pollen.
Collect and Transfer Pollen
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Remove petals to expose stamen on the pollen parent flower.
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Use a small brush to sweep pollen grains onto a card or plastic wrap.
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Unwrap the pollen and brush it onto the stigma of the seed parent bloom.
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Repeat pollen collection and transfer between multiple flowers on both parents.
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Label pollinated blooms with date and parent names.
Allow Seed Formation
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Allow pollinated flowers to develop seeds over 4-6 weeks.
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Seeds are ready when flower heads turn brown and dry.
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Collect seeds and store in an airtight container in a cool location.
Tips for Self-Pollination
If cross-pollinating multiple plants is not an option, self-pollinating a single Barletta plant can still boost yields.
Flower Handling
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Gently shake or flick flowers to dislodge pollen within the flower.
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Use a small paintbrush, cotton swab or other soft tool to transfer pollen.
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Avoid damaging the bloom structures. Handle gently!
Technique
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Move pollen from anthers onto the stigma of the same flower.
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Repeat on every flower as it opens for thorough coverage.
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Self-pollinate daily during peak blooming for best success.
Optimal Conditions for Pollination
Proper growing conditions maximize pollination success:
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Plant in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil.
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Water 1-2 inches per week. Avoid wet foliage.
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Fertilize monthly with balanced organic fertilizer.
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Stake plants for support once 18 inches tall.
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Prune for shape but avoid heavy pruning.
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Monitor for pests like aphids which deter pollinators.
With ideal conditions and effective technique, hand pollinating Barletta floral plants can significantly increase the number of seeds produced and promote a bountiful floral display. The extra effort pays off in vibrant blooms and a hefty harvest of seeds for future plantings.
Troubleshooting Poor Pollination
If your Barletta plants are not producing expected yields, inspect for these potential issues:
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Lack of pollinators – Manually cross-pollinate or introduce pollinator-attracting plants.
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Poor pollen transfer – Improve technique and increase pollination frequency.
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Unreceptive flowers – Ensure pollinating at the proper flower stage.
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Heat or drought stress – Provide adequate water and appropriate shade.
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Nutrient deficiency – Fertilize more frequently with a balanced organic product.
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Diseases or pests – Treat any infections and control pests.
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Insufficient sunlight – Move plants or prune obstructing vegetation to increase sun exposure.
Storing and Germinating Barletta Seeds
With successful pollination, you can save Barletta seeds for future plantings:
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Allow seed heads to fully mature and dry on the plant before collecting.
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Separate seeds from dried flowers and chafe debris.
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Place seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark location.
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For best germination, use seeds within 1-3 years.
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Sow seeds just under the soil surface when temperatures reach 70°F.
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Maintain even moisture and sufficient warmth for good germination rates.
With a little diligence and the right technique, you can enjoy a thriving patch of Barletta floral plants. Take advantage of these pollination tips for bountiful blooms from season to season!
Hand-Pollinate Vegetable Crops
In periods of wet or cold weather insects are less likely to be out and about. If poor weather lasts more than a few days, or if you’re growing under cover, you may find you need to hand-pollinate some crops.
Hand-pollination can be carried out in a couple of different ways. One way is to simply remove a flower and pull back or strip off the petals, then rub it inside another flower. Some plants have separate male and female flowers, so make sure to get the correct ones! In squash-family plants such as zucchini, the female flowers are distinguishable from the male ones by a swelling (the immature fruit) behind the flower.
Alternatively, use an artist’s paintbrush to gently gather pollen from one flower to brush inside another. This works well for early strawberries.
Corn can also be hand-pollinated, which is especially useful for those plants that are upwind of the rest. Our article The Sex Life of Sweet Corn describes in detail how to go about it.
With these methods in place, you can be assured of a better harvest – not to mention a gorgeous garden buzzing with bees. We’d love to know what techniques you use to boost pollination in your garden. Share your tips with us in the comments section below!
Assist in Pollination by Wind
Some crops are not insect-pollinated at all, but instead rely on the wind to carry their pollen to waiting female flowers. Sweet corn sheds pollen from its tassels to land on the female parts, known as silks. If this doesn’t happen the ears of corn will fail to develop any kernels. For this reason it’s best to plant corn in blocks rather than rows, to increase the chances of wind-blown pollen grains landing on the silks of an adjacent plant.
Some crops, for instance tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are self-fertile and can manage pollination all by themselves. This makes them well suited to growing under cover where cross-pollination by insects is less of a given. However, self-pollinators will produce a better crop if gently shaken by the wind. In a greenhouse you can replicate wind movement by tapping or gently shaking the stems of plants.
How to Hand Pollinate Flowers to Produce a Lot of Tomatoes
FAQ
How to care for a Barletta plant?
What pollinates Ipomoea?
What percentage of flowering plants need pollinators?
How does pollination increase crop yield?
How to boost pollination in your garden?
Three simple techniques can be used to boost pollination in your garden: attracting pollinators, harnessing wind and, if all else fails, hand-pollination. 1. Plant Flowers for Bees Most of us are familiar with the plight of bees and their importance as pollinators.
When do wind pollinated plants produce flowers?
Often, wind-pollinated plants produce flowers early in spring, before or as the plant’s leaves emerge. This prevents the leaves from interfering with the dispersal of pollen from the anthers and provides easy reception of the pollen on the stigmas of the flowers.
Does insect pollination affect canola flowers?
These results, are consistent with studies demonstrating that insect-pollinated canola flowers are shorter-lived 37, that pollinator visitation decreases the number of produced flowers by canola plants 38 and, consequently, that canola plants visited by pollinators have shorter flowering periods 39, 40.
Do pollinators affect canola seed production?
Apart from the positive effect of pollinators on canola seed production, we found a tendency for canola plants visited by pollinators to also increase their seed quality by decreasing the proportion of green seed.