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Quincy, CA

I really wanted to make some crosses with my 1770 Lieber but the males took forever to arrive and none of them have any stamens.
Anybody have any ideas on the cause?
I know they aren't being eaten because I've opened some prematurely and they look the same.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=203135

7/11/2013 6:07:45 PM

Piqua, Ohio

same thing here. the females I pollinate are all aborting at 14 days or so. At first the males never developed, then wen they finally did no stamen! I'm guessing it's genetic.

7/11/2013 7:47:34 PM

Sparta, NC

My 1770 males didnt have stamens either. I have a couple pollinated will see how they do.

7/11/2013 8:46:42 PM

Boscawen, NH

It appears that you all have male sterile plants. You will not be able to get a pumpkin to go beyond 100-200 lbs. Would be curious as to what fungicides you've been using.

7/11/2013 9:38:53 PM

Connecticut

It seems this can be more common with selfed or in-breed seed lines. I am not saying this is always the case but it does seem like from what I have seen the odds of this are higher in these particular cases.

7/11/2013 11:49:30 PM

Anchorage Alaska

no male stamens here, 1st fruit aborted..no fungicide used I have 2 more set, we'll see how they do.. on my 1770

7/12/2013 12:53:49 AM

Quincy, CA

No fungicide used. First side-vine fruit aborted.
One main-vine pumpkin at eleven feet is only 10 inches around on day 7; my slowest growing pumpkin by far.

7/12/2013 1:06:49 AM

Corryton, TN

Same males here. Males were set before using fungicides. No females took. Foaming stump. Vine pulled.

7/12/2013 6:26:03 AM

Space

Pollinated a female two days ago with a male from another plant so I'm keen to check the males on my 1770. Will let you know the outcome

7/12/2013 8:14:58 AM

Western NY

A lack of developed stamens are one of the major signs of a sterile plant. The other two being a failure to set (or mature) fruit, and unfortunately a vigorous plant that gets our hopes up. Most females either fail to set or abort around softball size.

Every once in a while a normal plant will have a male with undeveloped stamens, but if it's a recurring theme with the plant, then it's a big red flag right there.

7/12/2013 9:39:09 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Sadly you should not waste another minute on the plant. I spent countless hours caring for a sterile plant before. Just pull it and plant some cover crop.

7/12/2013 10:15:26 AM

Wi

If you don't have stamens it will be a miracle to get a growing pumpkin.

I know it's tough....as I've been there before, but I'd tend to agree with the previous poster. Stop wasting time with the plant and spend your time elsewhere.

7/12/2013 12:20:40 PM

President - GPC

Yup last year BiZ plant had same... even the beeZ couldnt set a pumpkin either....

7/12/2013 12:25:27 PM

Butler,PA

I don't want to jinx myself, but my 1770 Lieber is doing great. I did a Bayer Tree and Shrub drench prior to pollinating a 4 lobe female with my 1140 Finders on June 30th. As of this morning(Friday), it's larger than a vollyball but smaller than a basketball and still shiney. The pumpkin is almost 12 feet out on the main and the total length is about 18 feet. The odd thing is that the female I pollinated is the only female so far. Every male on the plant has been developed----I just don't have any females ready to pollinate. October is still very far away. I'll update some more later. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

7/12/2013 12:49:22 PM

Nottingham, UK

Pollinated a female at 11' and have noticed another two females at the end of the first set of secondaries. Males all have plenty of pollen in them.

I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that I went with a lucky seed from the 1770 lottery

cross made was 1770 x 1290 Poirier

7/12/2013 5:50:22 PM

Duxbury,Ma.

no stamens in my 1723 Marshall

7/13/2013 6:06:04 AM

Vermont

No stamens on my 1770 either. I've had two females set and both aborted around Day 8.

After reading the posts from more experienced growers I will probably pull the plant to give more room for my 1684, but then I'll be down to all my eggs in one basket and no fair pumpkin. Bummer!

7/15/2013 6:43:57 PM

Joliet, IL

My 885 last year was grown on a 1723 plant that had no male flowers until a few right before the pumpkins on the main deleloped and actually produced 3 flowers and those 3 had no stamen. The first try aborted...the second try took. It was no monster....but if you look at last years diary you will see it carved out in front of bobbys tap. I would keep trying to set before pulling it even if you can just get a nice halloweenie.

7/16/2013 1:09:07 PM

Ny

I really think this is much more common to happen with pumpkin plants that were produced by way of sib or self pollination.

I'm very uneasy about my 1337. It started out as such a beautiful plant. The leaves and vines looked almost flawless, but three different females opened with stigmas that were unusually tiny. Like many of you above, the male flowers were late, and had very tiny stamens in them. I do have softball sized fruits, but I'm really holding my breath on what might be yet to come after reading the above posts.

What do the 1337, 1770, and 1723 all have in common? They all were produced by being selfed or sibbed. That said, so was the 1725 Harp, and we all know how well that has worked out. I'm sure that there will be some 1337's, 1770's, and 1723's that turn out to produce fantastic pumpkins. It just seems to be a high risk/high reward thing with self and sibbed seeds. I guess it's just the luck of the draw.

7/16/2013 2:20:51 PM

Piqua, Ohio

there's a nice 1770 growing in Kentucky, I'll keep trying until mid August. I have been setting every female on the plant and have 8 all less than 14 days old.

7/16/2013 9:34:59 PM