🌴 Adventures in the Salak Garden: The First Lesson in Pollination (For Beginners) 🌿
Hello, my lovely friends.
Yesterday was an exciting day in my garden. Who knew gardening could be this fun and exciting? This story goes back to 4 years ago.
🌟 The Beginnings of a Salak Grower
Four years ago, I started my quest to grow Indonesian Salak varieties simply because I "wanted to grow them." I bought about 10 trees without any knowledge or information. The remaining 10 were planted from seeds. It was an investment based entirely on my heart. But now, the excitement is building because the Indonesian Salak trees I planted are starting to mature and, most importantly, they're blooming. Yay! Some of the trees are even starting to bear small fruits, which I can't help but admire. I must say, the first fruits are truly amazing.
The real deal just started a few days ago. I had the opportunity to attend a relative's event and happened to come across a fruit vendor selling salak. I approached the vendor and asked for detailed information about planting and fruiting. From that conversation, I decided to order two male salak trees and even ordered the pollen to be ready (even though the pollen hadn't arrived yet).
🧐 Hunting for the "male" in the garden
Upon returning home, I didn't hesitate to research the internet to ensure I could successfully complete this important mission. Then, I rushed to the garden to conduct the pollen hunt.
At first, I admit, I didn't know what to expect, as I'm not an expert. But after careful observation, a miracle occurred. I discovered a hidden male salak tree in my garden, planted alongside the female four years ago (an unexpected stroke of luck).
💡 Things I learned about male salak flowers
- Flower Quantity: There are quite a few flowers.
- Scent: The scent is significantly stronger than the female flowers.
- Shape: The inflorescence is longer and fatter than the female flowers.
- Color: The mature stamens are a darker red than the pistils.
- Touch: When I touch the stamens, I feel a powdery or pollen-like texture on my hands, which causes some irritation.
Unfortunately, I arrived a little late, and some of the pistils had already bloomed and fallen off. But that's okay, because the first lesson isn't always perfect. My husband and I immediately started collecting the usable stamens.
💖 Love Mission: Hand-Pollination
Since I didn't have any equipment with me that day (because I was just planning on exploring), the two of us decided to do some organic pollination. We used freshly picked male flowers and gently rubbed them against the female flowers, following a method we'd studied.
I was thrilled and so happy that my husband was able to complete this task together. It was a great way to spend time together, and it was the beginning of our serious gardening journey.
🛠️ Next plan and professional pollination
Today, after writing this article, I plan to go out and buy ribbons or string, staplers, and markers to attach dates and mark the pollinated salacca clusters, a crucial step in tracking yield.
And this afternoon, I'll go back into the garden to weed the base of the salacca trees, clearing them of weeds. This will keep the area where the fruit hangs open, open, and dry, preventing fungal problems that can easily occur in damp areas. (I'm doing this based on what I've researched.)
📝 Pollination for Beginners
As a beginner who's just starting out and has already studied the information, I'd like to share the correct and effective pollination methods with you all.
- Preparing the Male Stamen (Male Flower)
- Harvesting: Select mature male inflorescences that are ready for use. Observe the inflorescence for a deep red color and the presence of light yellow pollen (powder). It should feel rough to the touch.
- Drying: Take the male inflorescences, knock out the pollen, and place it in a container (such as a bowl or paper) and air dry in a shady area to obtain pure "pollen dust."
- Storage: Dried male inflorescences can be stored in a ziplock bag or glass bottle and refrigerated (in the normal compartment) to extend their shelf life for months before using in the next pollination round.
- Observing the Female Stigma (Male Flower)
- Optimum Time: The female stigma is ready for pollination when the flowers begin to open or emerge. This can be observed by the female inflorescences being light pink to light red and containing a slight mucilage. Or if the flowers have bloomed but have not yet begun to wilt, the best time is after they bloom.
- Pollination Time: Pollination can be done throughout the day, but many farmers prefer to do it in the morning when the air is still cool.
- Pollination Methods (There are two main methods):
Method 1: Rubbing Fresh Inflorescences (Method used yesterday)
This method is easy and suitable for those who have male plants in their garden and want to pollinate immediately.
- Take fresh male inflorescences with complete pollen and gently rub them around the blooming female inflorescences.
- You can also tie the male inflorescences to the female inflorescences and leave them for 1-2 days to allow the pollen to fall naturally onto the female flowers.
Method 2: Using Pollen Dust (Method used when the pollen arrives) - Take the collected and dried male inflorescences and apply them, smear them, or use a brush or soft brush to gently pat the pollen onto the blooming female inflorescences.
- Some people use a small sprayer to spray pollen directly onto the female inflorescences (but for beginners, using a brush is easier to control).
- Post-Pollination Monitoring and Care
- Marking: Use ribbons or markers to mark the pollination date on the inflorescence stems. To record and track growth (e.g., "Mixed 07/11/68")
- Pruning: Once fruit has set, some of the smaller fruits should be removed (pruning) to ensure the remaining fruits receive the full nutrients they need. This will ensure the fruit is large and perfectly ripe as desired.
I wish you all success in your Salak gardening endeavors. Seeing the fruits of your own hard work is an incomparable joy. 😊
That's all for today, my friends. See you next time! Thank you for following and supporting me. 🏡🍃🙏🏻❤️
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