How to Artificially Pollinate Cayenne

Look for flowers are totally open and have pollen on the anthers that easily brushes off onto a fingertip. This indicates the pollen is ready for transfer. Start checking the flowers as soon as they open and monitor them every day until they're ready for pollination. The anthers of the pepper flower at the end of a long, thin filament. Together, the anther and the filament make up the stamen, the male flower organ. Several stamens are arranged around the female organ, or pistil, which is composed of an ovary, style and stigma. The stigma, at the top of the pistil, will be shiny and sticky when it is receptive to pollen.

Brush the tip of a soft, fine-tipped artist's brush or cotton swab against the pollen-covered anthers. You should be able to see the yellow pollen grains on the brush or swab. You can also cut or pull the male organs or anthers out of the flower with tweezers and use the entire anther for pollination.

Brush the pollen from the brush or swab onto the shiny-looking, receptive stigma, making sure you can see plenty of the pollen grains sticking to the stigma when you are finished.

Repeat the transfer of pollen every day or two as new flowers open and become receptive to ensure that as many flowers as possible are pollinated and will grow into cayenne peppers.