All plants that use seeds to reproduce need pollination. Plants have evolved in different ways to facilitate this pollination.
For example, grasses and some tree species use the wind to disperse their pollen. Plants with showy flowers evolved to attract pollinators. However, depending on what we harvest from the plant, pollination may or may not be important for the development of the harvested product.
This page focuses on crops grown for food sales. If you grow crops for seed, pollination will be needed. Bees may provide this pollination, or it may need to be done in a controlled manner if trying to create plants with specific characteristics or to prevent cross-pollination between certain vining vegetables.
Crops where pollinators are necessary
Many of Minnesota’s most important fruit and vegetable crops require pollination, often from bees, to produce the products we sell. This includes:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Cucumbers
- Honeyberry
- Pumpkins
- Raspberry
- Summer squash
- Winter squash
Sometimes, the flowering window for the crop is relatively short, as is the case for many fruits. For other crops, flowers are produced through the growing season, as is the case for vining vegetables.
When there isn’t any or enough pollination during bloom, the flower may not produce a fruit at all, or the fruit from that flower will be small, misshapen, and unmarketable.
Protecting and attracting bees to areas where these crops are grown can increase yields, and it is essential to consider pollinator protection when making pest management decisions.
Crops that don’t need pollinators, but they can help production
Some crops produce fruit, but they can do so without the help of bees. These crops flower, but the wind moves the pollen. This includes:
- Grapes
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
Bees will still be attracted to the flowers, so consider protecting these pollinators when making management decisions.
Crops that attract pollinators, but don’t need their pollination to produce
Some crops flower, but the flowers and fruit that are produced aren’t harvested. This includes:
- Asparagus
- Potatoes
- Sweet corn
For example, some potato varieties will flower, but the fruit that is produced isn’t safe to eat. Sweet corn is pollinated by the wind. Having female asparagus flowers in a patch isn’t desirable because the energy they put into those flowers and fruit means that the plant isn’t storing all its energy into its roots, which means we will have fewer spears to harvest next year.
As you consider managing these crops, it is essential to note when they flower and how to manage them at this stage.
How you manage these crops during flowering can significantly impact local bee populations. For example, bees may be foraging on blooms when insecticides are applied to manage pests.
Crops pollinators aren’t attracted to, and don’t need pollination
For many vegetables, we harvest a stem or a leaf, which is vegetative. Examples include:
- Cabbage
- Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Collards
- Kale
However, for most farmers, pollinators aren’t part of the production of these crops. Bees and other pollinators may still be present in areas where these crops are grown if there are places where pollinators nest or if there are flowering weeds or living covers.
Crops where pollinators reduce production
When growing cucumbers, it is important to understand the genetics of the variety you are growing. Some varieties of cucumbers bred for greenhouse and hoophouse cultivation are parthenocarpic, meaning they produce fruit without the need for pollination by bees. If these varieties receive pollination, they will produce seeds and the resulting fruit can become misshapen.
- Phillips, B., and Schuh, M. (2018). “Vegetable pesticide series: Should I use it during bloom? A pollinator protection guide for vegetable growers.“ Michigan State University Extension.
Reviewed in 2025