Widow’s tears plant, also known as Chamaesyce hirta, is a small succulent plant that is native to tropical regions. This plant is popular among gardeners because of its low maintenance and attractive appearance. However, to increase your yield, you need to learn how to pollinate it. In this article, we will discuss how to pollinate widow’s tears plant and increase your yield.
Before we discuss how to pollinate the widow’s tears plant, let us first understand the anatomy of the plant. The widow’s tears plant has both male and female flowers, which means that it is a perfect flower. The male flowers produce pollen, while the female flowers have a stigma that receives the pollen. The pollen must reach the stigma for fertilization to occur and for the plant to produce seeds.
Pollinating the widow’s tears plant is a straightforward process. You can use two methods: hand pollination and natural pollination.
Hand pollination is a common method used by gardeners to ensure that their plants produce seeds. To hand pollinate your widow’s tears plant, follow these steps:
Identify the male flower on your widow’s tears plant. The male flower has a yellow or green ball-shaped structure at the center of the flower.
Using a small brush or cotton swab, gently dab the tip into the center of the male flower to pick up some pollen grains.
Locate the female flower on your widow’s tears plant. The female flower has a small stigma at the center of its flower.
Gently brush the pollen onto the stigma of the female flower.
Repeat the process for all male and female flowers on your plant.
Natural pollination occurs when insects or wind transfer pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers. To encourage natural pollination, you can place your widow’s tears plant outdoors where insects can access it. Alternatively, you can place a small fan near your plant to simulate wind and encourage pollen transfer.
Pollinating your widow’s tears plant is essential if you want to increase your yield. Here are some benefits of pollinating your plant:
Increased seed production: Pollinating your widow’s tears plant ensures that the flowers are fertilized, which leads to the production of seeds.
Larger plant size: When you pollinate your widow’s tears plant, it produces more seeds, which results in a larger and healthier plant.
Better fruit quality: Pollinated plants produce higher quality fruits that are tastier and more nutritious.
A: You only need to pollinate your widow’s tears plant once during its flowering season.
A: The best time to pollinate your widow’s tears plant is in the morning when the flowers are open.
A: Yes, any small brush or cotton swab will work for hand pollination.
A: Yes, it is recommended that you water your widow’s tears plant after pollination to help the seeds germinate.
A: Yes, natural pollination can be effective if you have enough insects or wind to transfer pollen from the male to female flowers.
In conclusion, pollinating your widow’s tears plant is a simple process that can increase your yield and improve the quality of your fruits. Whether you choose to use hand pollination or natural pollination, ensure that you follow the steps outlined in this article for the best results.