Hand-pollination

Hand pollination (also called "mechanical pollination") is a technique used when natural, or open pollination is insufficient or undesirable. The most common techniques are for crops such as cucurbits, which may exhibit poor pollination by fruit abortion, fruit deformity or poor maturation. Hand-pollination is an option only on a small scale, but is a common technique by gardeners that transfer pollen with an artist brush or cotton swab. Sometimes the corolla is removed from male flowers and the flower itself is brushed against the stigmas of female flowers.