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Kutztown, PA

At what point can you confirm that pollination has been successful? I would say if the pumpkin has bent to the ground. I'm doing a pollination experiment which you can read about in my diary and I just want the pumpkin on the plant long enough to confirm that pollination was or was not successful.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2024&grower=101557&action=L

7/15/2024 11:40:04 AM

Germany

In most cases I do about 2 or 3 pollinations along the main vine, and as soon as the first fruit kicks into gear (which tells me that there must have been something successful), the others slow down and eventually abort. Also, in my case it happens quite often that the few secondaries near the fruit (further along the main vine and also the next four or so secondaries toward the crown) seem to quit growing as soon as the fruit is taking off (taking off slowly around DAP 10 - 15, not the vampire type of fruit sucking all the power out of the plant, but the plant seems to already know that this is the fruit where the juice needs to flow into). These are the signs when I´m pretty sure pollination was successful. If you are after good seeds, then the answer to your question is: After weigh-off, when you opened the pumpkin, got the seeds and they passed the viability test. ;)

7/15/2024 11:50:06 AM

Grittyville, WA

I keep suggesting that feeling if the stigma is firm is the best and quickest way to tell. Apparently no one likes that method, its a bit too hands on. We like things to be visual, so let me put it this way: If you push the stigma and you can see it flex, aka its rubbery... then you've got nothing. If its firm then its pollinated.

7/15/2024 12:42:40 PM

Kutztown, PA

Gritty,

How many DAP would you use that method?

7/15/2024 1:23:21 PM

Grittyville, WA

Works any DAP I think. But personally I find it most useful around 3 dap. Thats when I get curious, and when I may want to make an early decision to keep or cull.

7/15/2024 2:29:52 PM

Grittyville, WA

Might not work prior to 3 DAP. Unpollinated ones might be stiffer in the early am than in the late afternoon. Successfully pollinated stigmas should be fairly firn any time of day though.

7/15/2024 2:36:54 PM

Kutztown, PA

It will be interesting to see if it takes after 3 days in the fridge. I may try a five day next. I think picking the males the day before you think they'll open may give you an extra day. All conjecture until I test it out. Also, I used all five of the males I collected to do the pollination.

7/15/2024 2:42:05 PM

Grittyville, WA

Technically, its the "style" that gets noticeably soft and rubbery. The style is the connection between the stigma and the ovary. Anatomy class for botanists, sorry :( Whoever came up with all these never-used part names was sure obsessed with flowers.

[Last edit: 07/15/24 2:47:26 PM]

7/15/2024 2:46:18 PM

Kutztown, PA

I'm wondering if my experiment is flawed in that I used 5 male flowers to pollinate with. I say that because if you have 5 male flowers that you can pick off 3 or 4 days prior to a wanted pollination then chances are you might have at least one new one to use too. Anyway, I may have one more experimental female left to goof around with and plenty of male flowers. I may go for a five day pollination and see what happens if the three day works.

7/15/2024 4:18:32 PM

Kutztown, PA

I'm going to try a "Gritty Style" exam when I get home today.

7/15/2024 4:20:24 PM