Are you tying the flower petals up after pollinating? How are you pollinating, q-tip, rubbing the male across the female or ??

Here is a link that might be useful: How to hand pollinate gourds

Hi! I was first using a q-tip and just recently started using a small paint brush. I tried rubbing the male across the female too. I never did tie them up. I didn't know that...what do you tie them with and do you do this so the pollen stays in? Thanks for your help! Shari

I tie up all my blossoms. Cucumber beetles and other garden dwellers like to run off with pollen, plus things like wind, rain, sprinklers etc. etc. can remove the pollen from the pistils.

The link I just posted has a visual step-by-step on pollinating. But it is basically using a common sewing thread and gently closing the petals and tying them off with the thread once you have pollinated. Just don't tie too tightly or you'll cut right through the petals and pistils.