What targeted pollination is, and when a farm actually needs it

Targeted pollination means moving active hives into a crop exactly as the bloom opens, and removing them when it closes. It isn't the same as having bees nearby: it's an intervention with a start date and an end date.

It works well in crops that depend on pollinators to set fruit: melon, watermelon, avocado, citrus, sweet pepper and cucurbits in general. In self-pollinating or wind-pollinated crops the effect is marginal and the investment doesn't pay.

Density is calculated per hectare and depends on the species, the flowering stage and competing blooms nearby. Getting density wrong costs money in both directions: too few hives don't move the needle, too many get in each other's way.

The other factor almost nobody accounts for is agrochemical management during the period. A badly timed application can cost entire hives, which is why the spray calendar is coordinated before the hives go in.