My Vanilla Pods.

Pollination done, I discard Bee costume and stop buzzing.

2022 Vanilla Pods growing (nearly size of Grade A). Pollination completed. Picture by John Rose.

Vanilla vine
four years old,
Second flowering,
Two months
pollinating
now completed,
Nine to Ten months
until harvest and curing.

First season
last year
total seven pods,
Few flowers,
Clumsy pollinator,
Hadn’t perfected
buzzing.

Second season
this year,
Flowers everywhere,
Counted over 250,
Eight weeks
sequential blooming,
One hundred
pods growing
long and plump,
Grade A size
fingers crossed,
Pollination rate
around 40%.

Pollination Note

Each flower must be
hand-pollinated
within 12 hours,
[Been told to
pollinate within
4 hours,]
Wild vanilla
pollinated by
orchid bees…