Hand Pollinating

[Bigmallly]

Sorry if this has been covered but I did a search and couldn't find anything. Anyway it's a simple question.
When hand pollinating a peach tree, does the pollen have to come from the stamen of a different flower to the stigma flower or can I pollinate from the same flower?
i.e If I only get one flower, can it be hand pollinated.

[FB.]

If you're taking pollen from the same tree to which it will be "inoculated", then one flower is the same as any other and, if self-fertile, it won't matter whether a flower pollinates itself, or one of its neighbours, or if one of its neighbours pollinates it. They're all identical.

I would suggest, though, using pollen from several different flowers at different stages of development, since not all flowers' pollen will be ideal, due to the prevailing weather conditions when that flower was opening.

In summary: can a self-fertile tree with only one flower be hand-pollinated?
Yes.
(note that although flowers usually form in clusters of several from the same bud, so a one-flower situation is very unlikely).

But be gentle; flowers are easily damaged (they're only meant to take the stress of an insect rummaging around in them). Tickle the flowers with a feather or small paintbrush.

[Bigmallly]

Cheers FB, just what I was looking for.

[Jeanied]

Don't forget to make a helpful buzzing noise as you do it

[veggiechicken]

[QUOTE=FB.;957950 Tickle the flowers with a feather or small paintbrush.[/QUOTE]

My imagination has gone into overdrive! I can hear the little flowers saying "Oooh stop it!!!!"

If we're talking peach trees, there were 2 large, wall-trained Peregrine peach trees in my last house. They fruited well each year without tickling but I rarely managed to eat any - the squirrels always beat me to it. If I picked the peaches underripe, they would all ripen together, and, dare I admit it, rot together!

[Bigmallly]

My imagination has gone into overdrive! I can hear the little flowers saying "Oooh stop it!!!!"

If we're talking peach trees, there were 2 large, wall-trained Peregrine peach trees in my last house. They fruited well each year without tickling but I rarely managed to eat any - the squirrels always beat me to it. If I picked the peaches underripe, they would all ripen together, and, dare I admit it, rot together!

If mine was outside vc, I wouldn't have raised the question. It's only because I have it in the greenhouse that I thought I would ask. My main query was do I need 2 or more flowers and FB kindly cleared that up.

[veggiechicken]

If mine was outside vc, I wouldn't have raised the question. It's only because I have it in the greenhouse that I thought I would ask. My main query was do I need 2 or more flowers and FB kindly cleared that up.

I know it was a serious question about your GH fruit but I wanted to give you something to look forward to in a few years time! Meanwhile, you can content yourself with a little tickling!!