The procedure is straightforward and takes less than a minute. Pick a freshly opened male flower, the one with the thin stem and no swollen base, and either remove its central anther entirely or peel back the petals to expose it fully.
Oregon State University Extension’s zucchini growing guide describes transferring pollen by pressing the male anther directly onto the stigma, which is the sticky central structure inside the open female flower.
A small, clean paintbrush or cotton swab works as well if the direct approach feels awkward.
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