From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Leerdam, The Netherlands

If I have polinated females that have become soaked, will they set fruit? any experience?

7/3/2007 3:28:37 PM

Jericho Vermont

Iwan,
I have had pumpkins set after a good soaking, but it has been a late afternoon soaking. Not sure if there is a certain timing for the pollination to take place before losing the pollen. Best of luck with this. I would maybe set another pumpkin just in case.
John

7/3/2007 4:12:27 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Iwan, I have had a soaked flower 2 years ago, it became my champion of that year, 226 kg.

Here another afternoon with a bit of sunshine, 23 degrees in the greenhouse: not too bad.
Next week the first flowers might be ready to pollinate here...

7/3/2007 4:36:05 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

I remember doing some in the past where the female was full of water I stuck my penknife through the base of the flower to let the water drain away came back to pollinate 5 mins later after leaving it to air off and it set.
I was surprised back at the time.

Mark

7/3/2007 4:52:22 PM

Belgium Europe

I cover them . Check this : http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=67574

7/3/2007 5:49:09 PM

Netherlands

I cover them if possible too. I actually took out my hoophouses again and put them over the tip of the pumpkin plant including the pollinated female. My patch is getting waterlogged as we are having rain every day now.

7/4/2007 1:29:52 AM

Leerdam, The Netherlands

Thanks guys lets hope they set and hope even more that they get some sunshine after this.............

7/4/2007 3:30:06 AM

Austria

Good question and good answers. This is interesting info.

7/4/2007 4:44:58 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

There is a similar thread in General Discussion about the time to keep a female covered. My personal experience with pollinating in the rain hasn't been good. But an afternoon rain the shouldn't be too bad. My gut feeling is that the pollinated female should stay covered for at least 6-8 hours.

For how long did the flower stay dry?

7/4/2007 9:22:20 AM

Leerdam, The Netherlands

I think 2 at the most

7/4/2007 3:50:15 PM

Belgium

I close the male and females the evening before with a litlle rope. So water or insects can not enter the inside. After pollinate the female i replace the rope; after pollinaton no water or insects can enter. Try it, you will see this works great!

7/4/2007 4:53:45 PM