fertilization schedule and pollination of Guanabana

[bangkok]

Is this the seedless wonder we've been searching for?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2hBm9KXt4RU/TZApjb42a_I/AAAAAAAAAZM/gJ6BTt9iyOQ/s1600/ss+copy.jpg

I have no idea Tim, maybe we should email her?

I was looking for a website with good pictures about handpollination for soursop and i found that site. Maybe she took the seeds out or used gibberelic acid?

[Guanabanus]

Like most other species, Guanabana ("soursop") pollen is orange-yellow.  Black stuff would be dead/moldy stuff.

[bangkok]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2hBm9KXt4RU/TZApjb42a_I/AAAAAAAAAZM/gJ6BTt9iyOQ/s1600/ss+copy.jpg

Har if you see pic#4 on that link there you see the black stuff that the ants made the nest from. They try to close the flower with that all the time but i open it 3 times a day. Yesterday all the leaves from that flower fell off and i guess now it will slowly get black and dry out and drop.
That happened will the flowers so far.

I also see orange on the black stuff so that might be the pollen then? And how can i use that to pollinate another flower which has only a tiny opening now? I opened that flower and blew some black stuff (probably with orange pollen on it) into the other flower and also saw ants in there allready. I have a small brush but those black things don't stick to the brush.

Do i have to collect some orange pollen on the brush and put that on a flower which has a tiny opening in the thick leaves? Or do i have to wait untill the flower opens by itself and then try to pollinate it?

There is almost no info about handpollinating soursop on the web. I have many more flowers coming so many more chances to try 

And how should often should i give the tree zinc? I have zinc for foliar use with a sticker and gave it a foliar spray some days ago. Does it also need some on the soil?

[edzone9]

My Guanabana trees are doing well so far here in NE florida , 2 are close to 10ft tall looking good.
Lets see how they do this winter.

Ed..

[Guanabanus]

Some of us here believe that ants cause fruit set, presumably by pollinating.

To pollinate a female-stage flower by hand, one does have to force-open a wide-enough opening to stick in a finger, get some "stickum" on the finger, then stick the same finger into a container that one has gathered pollen in, then return the now-pollen-covered finger into the female stage flower.  Brushes don't work well with soursops.  [Bushes do work well with atemoyas, cherimoyas, sugar-apples, etc., that have three petals.]  Soursop pollen is gathered fresh after sunset, and is used immediately.

[bangkok]

Thanks a lot Har! I have big fun about the stickum, i should go to the shop here in Thailand and ask for that.

I have huge hands though so i will ask my wife to do it.

[Saltcayman]

Some of us here believe that ants cause fruit set, presumably by pollinating.

To pollinate a female-stage flower by hand, one does have to force-open a wide-enough opening to stick in a finger, get some "stickum" on the finger, then stick the same finger into a container that one has gathered pollen in, then return the now-pollen-covered finger into the female stage flower.  Brushes don't work well with soursops.  [Bushes do work well with atemoyas, cherimoyas, sugar-apples, etc., that have three petals.]  Soursop pollen is gathered fresh after sunset, and is used immediately.

Priceless information har:). Thanks

[JF]

My Guanabana trees are doing well so far here in NE florida , 2 are close to 10ft tall looking good.
Lets see how they do this winter.

Ed..

That's great Ed! My guanabanas are doing great, no flowers. The early mornings are now in the low to mid 50's and they are handling it very well. The big test will come mid December early January that's when it defoliated last season. This year they are on the ground and 9'.....good luck to you.

[Chandramohan]

Can I pluck a soursop flower in the female stage and keep it in a container to collect the pollen the next day ? Will the pollen be mature?

[Guanabanus]

I don't know.  Try it and tell us how it turns out!