growing pumpkins

United Kingdom

I am growing pumpkins for the first time. There are 6 plants and all blooming like mad, however, I have noticed that as soon as the flower closes, within a few days it falls off and all that is left is just a stem. Should I be pollenating them somehow? I thought the flowers need to turn into pumpkins...The variety is quite small I think, but not sure which.

15 Jul, 2008

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Answers

Lori

Hi... Pumpkins have male and female flowers...and the male flower always blooms ahead of the female....so just be patient...the flowers that will set fruit are yet to come...and when they do you will note a little swelling just behind the blossom and when the flower falls off the swelling will continue to grow into a pumpkin.
won't be long.
Best Wishes
Lori

16 Jul, 2008

Asyaver

thanks!

16 Jul, 2008

David

Hi Asyaver, I'm also growing pumpkins for the first time. I've posted a pic today of the first one to appear. Just make sure the plants are getting enough water (I also give them some liquid potash/tomato feed now and again). Good Luck with yours.

16 Jul, 2008

Golieth

i agree with the others just wait, and give them lots of water and when you find your first female flower what you could do is hand polonate them.
to hand polonate you have to take a male flower when it is blooming and take it off the stem. then you pull off the pettles so that the insides of the flower is left. take the Stamen and rub it on the Stigma of the female flower and then you are done. you just have to wait and see if the flower is polonated.:0)

contact me if you need any more help
yardnomes@yahoo.com

2 Oct, 2008

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