Pumpkin viagra? Female flowers open, males closed!

I would use a paintbrush and wipe the pollen from the male flower and stroke the female flowers with it. Cross pollinate both plants with the pollen. Good luck!

If you get really stuck, try "ask.com" on "how to pollinate pumpkins by hand". There will probably even be a video to watch.

Thanks Craftnutter, I've read about hand pollination, but my problem is that none of the male flowers are opening! :-(

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't read properly! D'oh! Have you tried putting them in the sun? Maybe the warmth will encourage the male flowers to open.

I once cheated and pealed the outside petals off the male flowers!!!
Maybe you could try that?

Thanks again Craftnutter :-) I'm lucky enough to have a sunny spot for my pumpkins so I hope thay're warm enough. If the boys don't play nicely I will have a go at your method, just not sure if the pollen needs to be 'mature' before use? I'll keep you posted on any progress.
I was really pleased this morning as 2 of my courgettes had open female flowers and one open male - so I lost no time at all with the hand pollination! :-)

Ooooh, super! My courgettes are nowhere near that ready! I think I sowed them a lil' late!

Btw, I don't think there is such a thing as "mature" pollen. Maybe just not so much of it?

Yes please, I'd love to know the progress of the pumpkins!

Btw, hope you don't mind me reminding you, when the pumpkins are growing, keep them off the soil. (with a tile, brick, slate, straw etc) But I'm sure you know that already! Lol!

I always appreciate useful advice, even if it is a reminder - so many veg with different care requirements, it's great to remind each other of the little tricks to improve crops, thank you! I own horses so have a supply of straw handy, just hope I'll have some pumpkins to nestle onto the straw beds! x

Hehe! I'm sure you will! Ooooh, I wish you lived near me, I could "pinch" some of your manure then! Lol! :-)

I would gladly let you amble around the field with a barrow and fork - am hoping to attract local allotment people to the field!
All my veg and flowers have been planted with at least a bucket of well rotted manure (composted since last October) and everything seems to love it!
We also brew a manure 'tea' - a hessian sack filled with fresh manure suspended in a barrel of water for 2 weeks. It smells quite 'strong', but is apparently a well balanced source of NPK and trace minerals. Our roses and rhododendrons have never been this prolific :-)

Wow! You are lucky, worth getting horses just for that alone, lol!

Don't forget to remind peeps that they need to let the manure "stew" for a year (or til smell goes away) otherwise the fresh stuff will "burn" their fruit and veg. Also, tell them they need to bring lots of strong plastic bags to put the compost it. But that is a really good idea. You could always ring your local councirl and offer it. Or goggle the allotments site and offer it to your local allotments group.

Local councils do give allotments free compost and they might be willing to drive a tipper truck to your place and take it all away for you?