From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Iron River Mi

live in upper mi. how soon should i have flowers ready to be pollinated,very new at this.Plants seem to have small male flowers on them

7/1/2003 6:26:55 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

What day were these plants put in the ground? How big are they now? You should be expecting females some where around the second week of July. Although it is a little nippy in the UP. Good Luck...Shannon

7/1/2003 6:55:42 PM

Iron River Mi

thanks for your reply i have small male flower as of 3 days a go,came home from work today and have the start of females,plants are really growing fast.oh i planted them at the middle of may,had to cover alot early because of the frost.

7/2/2003 1:20:10 PM

Columbia, MO

Oh - help me too! I am so new at this - I had no idea all that there is to know about this pumpkin growing!! I have lots of flowers, how do know male from female? Will they pollinate on their own (we have lots of birds & bees!) Do I leave all of them on the vine or cut some off? THANKS!!

7/5/2003 2:48:33 PM

Montoursville, PA

Flooty....in my diary I show male and female flowers. Go look see if you like.

7/5/2003 4:15:27 PM

Montoursville, PA

Flooty.....For goodness sakes. Welcome to the board. More help here by many and for all. Just ask and snoop about the diary posts. You are about to have your mind warped by the finest group of growers assembled at one place on the net.

The bees will do it but it is more fun making a cross by hand. I would remove the females behind the twelve to fifteen foot mark on the main then pollinate all that show.
Pollinate or keep one on a strong secondary vine. You may start by pollination several and keep the strongest about three weeks or so from now when the get to basketball size.

At basketball or a bit later you get to stake your dastardly plan. Which one am I going to gamble with in the grow. Take off only one every other day to get down to one but keep one going on the secondary too.

You can remove the reserve on the secondary if you wish when your primary choice is looking like a safe or good choice or you may leave it on. There are arguementative reasons for either decision. Ask about this as you approach that time period.

7/5/2003 4:58:13 PM