I'll tag on to Polymerous' note and add that when I am a bit late in the morning, and it has become a bit too warm (80 degrees and it may take me too long to get it all done), sometimes I find a dry pistil, but see that it helps to gently tap the end of it with the pollen anther (or something soft) a number of times. Especially for pistils that are oriented horizontally, that seems to bring the stigmatic fluid to the top again. If that happens, you suddenly see the pollen sticking, where it did not stick very well before, after 3-10 gentle taps or so.
Also, I am wondering if people have advice about the order in which pollination is done. I normally collect pollen from all blooms first, to help ensure that there is no possible self-pollination to them, and then go back to them all to dab pollen next. But, I've noticed that after removing the pollen stamens the remaining cut stalks begin to leak fluid (the ants love it and gather quickly up them to drink it). I worry if that is depleting the flower of the fluids it needs for successful pollination, or stresses it too much just when I'm hoping that pollination will occur. Any thoughts?
