Saving Pollen

My winter squash are producing male flowers first and then after those die out, are producing the female flowers. I have gotten a few fruit to set but mainly they are out of sync. Can I gather pollen and hold it for a few days to a week to pollinate the female flowers or will it be "dead". Anyone every try this?

I have looked online as I am sure you have. I have found nothing useful. That said, never let it be said that I need facts to answer a question...I would think that it would be doable. Not sure if you should collect pollen or just store the flowers in fridge until the females arrive.

I am having similar problems. It seems that planting one of each when it comes to setting squash can be complicated if the male and female flowers are out of synch.

Some types can be used to cross pollinate each if similar...various types of summer squash can be used to pollinated each other (zuchinni, pattypans, crooknecks can be used to pollinate each other). My attempts to pollinate my buttercup winter squash with white custard pattypan summer squash didn't work but it seemed to work on the acorn squash.

I like your idea of trying to save some pollen -- this might be a worthwhile experiment worth trying. A few male flowers in the fridge to see if the pollin is still viable when the females come along is worth a try.

I currently have female flowers on my sweet dumpling squash but I don't recall even seeing any males. I may try using some summer squash pollen again as I don't have any other winter squash in flower right now.

Of course don't grow any seeds from these cross pollinated squash unless you want some funky squash next year.

Next year I may plant at least two of each to see if the pollination is better.

I had that problem too, early this spring, and a bunch of fruit failed to set due to no pollination at first (at least, that's what I'm calling it!) but the male flowers caught up with time, both the cukes and the squash. (The watermelon... I am still holding my breath as to whether it will even stay alive.)

That said, I don't see why you couldn't save pollen?

Sounds like a good Science Project !!

Hi. The answer seems to be "it depends"
There is a bit about it here http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/hybrid/2005102809003082.html

Thanks for the link and the information. I just wish there would have been a more definitive answer.