How to Pollinate Apples by Hand in the Home Orchard

Certain apple varieties -- Winesap, Gravenstein and Baldwin, for example -- can't produce sterile pollen. Most apple blossoms are unable to self-pollinate. These complications make hand pollination time consuming and difficult. For this reason, gardeners typically leave pollinating duties to honey bees, and may order hives if the natural bee population is limited. If you are unable to obtain honey bees for your orchard, you may use hand-pollination as a last resort or as a supplement to insect pollination. The North Carolina Agricultural Extension recommends ordering commercial pollen to ensure fertilization.

Things You'll Need

• Frozen apple blossom pollen
• Lycopodium spore powder
• Hand brush or dust applicator

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Order apple blossom pollen from a commercial orchard supply company. Talk to a company representative to make sure that the pollen is compatible with your apple varieties. Keep the pollen frozen until you are ready to use it.

   • 2

     Dilute the pollen with lycopodium spore powder. This will minimize pollen waste.

   • 3

     Dip a hand brush or dust applicator into the pollen.

   • 4

     Touch the applicator to the center of apple blossoms. Only apply pollen to one in four blooms. If you have some insect pollinators, apply pollen particularly to shady areas of the trees, which may be less accessible to insects.