How Do Plants Pollinate?

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What You Need to Know About Plant Pollination!

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Some questions may seem to have a fairly standard answer, but in reality, the correct interpretation varies based upon different circumstances and factors.

As a gardener, it’s important to understand how plants are pollinated in order to ensure that you create the best growing environment.

Many gardeners make the inference that this question has one of those standard answers- after all, we all know about the birds and the bees, right?

• However, it isn’t really a simple answer at all; different plants pollinate in different ways.

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Insect Pollination

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Insects are still the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to pollinating plants.

Some crops, such as fruit trees, can not, and will not, produce unless there is a significant insect population in the surrounding area- namely bees.

• Bees are the best insect pollinators, though other flying insects, such as some types of flies and wasps, can also be of help in the pollination process.
• In your garden, insect pollination is necessary for squash, melons, beets, okra, broccoli, cabbage, onions and carrots.
• This is just a short list, but does give you an idea of what to expect.
• Also, keep in mind that many of these plants produce the edible portion before pollination takes place, so they may grow to maturity without the assistance of insects.
• This is the case with both root crops and cruciferous vegetables.
• If your goal is seed production, insects absolutely must be present for that to take place.
• If you just want to grow vegetables to eat, then the absence of bees may not be a problem for you.

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Wind Pollination

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Natural plant pollinating, by method of wind, is an important part of the environment.

Some crops need the assistance of a good airflow in order to fruit successfully.

• This is because their pollen is spread around in the air and then picked up by the pollen receptors in a different area of the plant.

The most commonly grown garden plant that requires wind pollination is corn of any variety.

• If you experiment with other grain crops, such as wheat, this is also the method that is used for a well-producing crop.

Crops that are wind pollinated raise many issues for gardeners.

First, it can be very difficult to grow a pure genetic strain of the crop.

• If you are trying to save seed, this is a huge problem. Wind pollinated plants can receive genetic material from another competing strain from as much as a mile away.
• If you can’t effectively isolate your plants, you will have to take other measures to ensure proper pollination, such as manually spreading the pollen.

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Self Pollination

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There are some plants that need almost no outside assistance in order to produce fruit and seeds; these plants are considered self-pollinating.

• The most common garden plants that fall into this category include tomatoes, peppers, peas and beans.
• As the flowering head opens, the pollen passes from the pollen producing part directly to the pollen receptors.
• Insects can still assist in this process, further spreading the pollen among blossoms.

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Pollination is necessary for completing the life cycle of a plant.

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However, it isn’t necessary for proper fruiting.

• When dealing with a plant, such as peppers, that is easily self-pollinated, as well as being impacted by bees, it’s good to know what the possibilities are.

However, it doesn’t always happen in the same manner.

• Bees are extremely important to the environment around them, and are a necessary part of the ecosystem.
• Although, surprisingly, many plants can accomplish reproduction without them!

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