From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Does anyone know of a good website that details how to hand pollinate pumpkins. I have two plants I want to try this with but I honestly have no idea how to go about doing it. I have read "How to Grow Giant Pumpkins" I and II and although it does talk about doing this it really doesn't go into much detail.

6/3/2006 10:34:05 AM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Ok, I apologize for jumping th gun on asking this question. Just answered my own question by searching this very website. Sorry to post so quickly.
One question still remains...the photos I have seen of a female blossom that is ready to pollinate shows a tiny pumpkin already under the blossom. For the pumpkin to already be there isn't it already pollinated???

6/3/2006 10:49:42 AM

Wallingford,CT

no....pumpkins have separate male and female flowers so the little pkn is part of the female.

6/3/2006 11:56:59 AM

Netherlands

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/pollen.htm

6/3/2006 1:03:31 PM

nope the tiny pumpkin is there before it is pollinated. but it only grows if it's pollinated, otherwise it will shrivel up.

6/3/2006 2:20:07 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Ok, thanks for all the info. Dutch Brad, i went to the website you advised and it really cleared up all my questions. Thank you!

6/3/2006 2:59:17 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Don't worry hoot...everything you do right this year you'll do wrong next year..and everything you do right the next year...you'll do last years things wrong! We warned ya! get out now while ya still can! No Really,,,, GrowEmBig! Chuck

6/4/2006 1:08:09 AM

Mocksville, NC

sit on your hands Mark, then give the them females some stange! sorry it's my b-day couldnt help it.

6/4/2006 7:10:17 AM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

happy birthday rog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6/4/2006 12:27:51 PM

Nashville, TN

The 'tiny pumpkin' you're seeing - is the ovary region. Makes it very easy to tell males and females apart.

One other thing I noticed - is that the male flowers TEND to show up first - generally several feet of vine ahead of the Females. The males seem to continually develop near the base of many of the varieties I grew last year... I'm seeing the same pattern again this year on the largest 5 vines of the 23 vines that are growing so far....

OH, and I had the most success last year - by tying the flowers closed the night before they were ready. Then pollenating very early the next morning. I actually took the male flower off of the vine, took all it's leaves off, then used it to directly pollenate the female. Then I tied the females shut immediately...

Good luck!!

6/4/2006 5:31:36 PM