playing bee

[porridgemaker]

At the moment I have well curcubits flowering, unfortunately my little helpers have rearranged the lables so I am unable to distinguish between yellow courgette and bush-style pumpkins- gold nugget I think. Well I have very few male flowers and plenty of girly ones. I am wondering if girls can pollinate girls? (I've only studied human biology!) Also will a courgette pollinate a pumpkin to produce a fruit?
How much pollen is required, as I've been (desperately...) hand pollinating, it seems like only a tiny amount is transferred to one part of the female flowers....erm innards, is that ok?
Is there a particular reason why I get so many female flowers...perhaps I am meddleing with nature too much, are these females with no males ment to fall off till the males mature?
Will pollinating a female flower with an 'un(open)ripe' male work? Also it seems there is pollen in the insides of the petals is that correct?
Really ought to get a biology book I know! Such fun, Ive just discovered my 'watermelon' plants are producing courgette embryo fruit, bless my peeps.

moira

[Two_Sheds]

does this help? Royal Horticultural Society - Gardening Advice: Courgette Failure

[lottie dolly]

good morning porridgemaker,wellcome to the vine,i thaught what,curcubits flowering,looked again and saw where you are lol,the male flowers are the ones on long thin stems,the females are very short and have a small swelling between the flower and stem,we over here usualy only get a lot of male flowers when the plant first starts in flower production,but to hand pollinat,choose a dry day,see 1 of each flower,take of the male with a bit of stalk,it does not have to be open only mature,peel back the petals,put it into the female,job done,one bit of advce is,when it starts to swell remove the dying flower to prevent the growing fruit from rotting,also,if the female pollination not worked the small embrionic frite behind the flower will rot of,others will be along soon with words of wisdom to,where we are the time is7:46 am friday ,best of luck with your growing,we are on the edge of winter hopefully.