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Nauvoo, Alabama

what causes the very young, unpollinated females to abort?
the females are the size of pebbles. very young.
the tiny immature flowers turn brown then fall off.

Cricket

6/6/2007 11:24:30 AM

Wood River, IL ([email protected])

I kow the heat is one thing that can cause that. That's the problem I had last year (rookie season) I didn't get one pollinated till the end of August

6/6/2007 12:47:09 PM

Michigan

This is happening in my patch as well, due to yoo much rain.

~Jessica

6/6/2007 1:30:05 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Aborting females can be caused by many factors. Heat is one of them. I would recommend fiding an old foam beer cooler to shade the freshly pollinated pumpkin. Putting a frozen two liter bottle also helps. To much nitrogen is also an issue. If you are fertilizing back off for a week or two. Pollination also must occur with in a small time frame for females that are ready. Normally like 4 hours. Also Pollen viability falls in to play. You thought this was going to be easy didn't you :)

6/6/2007 1:53:04 PM

[email protected]

In no particular order.

Heat.
Too wet.
Too much Nitrogen.

6/6/2007 8:31:26 PM

southwest MO

Not sure if this would really be aborting since the flower never really opens to be pollinated, never even really fully developes. Seems to be more prevalent early in the season when the plant is still young and growing very vigourously. Heat, wet, nitrogen, I would suspect them all... Could also be the plants hormones just are not flowing enough to turn focus to reproduction.

6/6/2007 11:14:09 PM

Greene County, Pa.

tremor and boy genius have my vote.

6/6/2007 11:21:04 PM

Nauvoo, Alabama

The edges of my leaves are yellowish brown-- thats either too hot or too much nitrogen right? SO, I will cut down on the nitrogen. I will freeze my water each night and place it on each side of the new baby fruit that is trying to grow towards flowering.

So if the fruit never pollinated then its not called aborting when it dies off. What is it called before it pollinates.
An OOPS?

6/7/2007 8:51:10 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

failure to reach puberty :)

6/7/2007 1:08:57 PM

Nauvoo, Alabama

Will "bloom burst" expert soluble fertilizer help make mature female blossoms.

I am slightly confused but guess I will figure it out sooner or later. If high potassium which is the last number in the NPK is what is needed for bloom production and fruit growth, why does bloom burst have a high middle number?

Should I still try to find a formula that has a higher last number? AT least for after the female is pollinated

Do you have a good pumpking growing Supply website to share?

6/8/2007 9:47:04 AM

southwest MO

I dont think fertilizer is the anserw... Just be patient, you will have some good ones.

6/8/2007 10:09:51 AM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

"I am slightly confused but guess I will figure it out sooner or later. If high potassium which is the last number in the NPK is what is needed for bloom production and fruit growth, why does bloom burst have a high middle number?"

Good question cricket...can someone explain this?

6/9/2007 5:52:19 AM

Central Oklahoma ( [email protected])

N = Nitrogen
Nitrogen is the first major element responsible for the vegetative growth of plants above ground. With a good supply, plants grow sturdily and mature rapidly, with rich, dark green foliage.

P = Phosphorus 7-9-5
The second Major element in plant nutrition, phosphorus is essential for healthy growth, strong roots, fruit and flower development, and greater resistance to disease.


K = Potassium (Potash) 7-9-5 The third major plant nutrient, potassium oxide is essential for the development of strong plants. Fruit Growth and It helps plants to resist diseases, protects them from the cold and protects during dry weather by preventing excessive water loss.

Here is some other reading....http://www.adonline.id.au/flowers/potassium.shtml

6/9/2007 7:13:38 AM

Central Oklahoma ( [email protected])

Last yr I had the same problem on the 950 Boyton. Early in the season The flowers would never mature. They would look like they were gonna open but never did. But that was only happening on the main vine. I set several pumpkins on side vines without a problem. I finally got two pumpkins set on the main but that wasn't until the plant got out around 19ft or so by then it was to hot and the plant was huge they split by day 7 or 8. So I agree with Tremor Heat,Nitrogen,Wet

Jon N.

6/9/2007 7:21:26 AM

Nauvoo, Alabama

Thanks so much for all the information.

I was confused cause I read that I should feed my pumpkin plant potassium a few weeks before pollination then lesson fertilizing for 3 weeks after pollination so fruits dont abort then heavy feed potassium again after that for fruit nutrient growth. It never said anything about phosphorus for bloom production or fruit production. And this information was from the Maine website. So when all i could find was high P=phosphorus for abundant blooming, my brain quit.
I am left to understand that phosphate increases blooms but potassium is still needed for the fruit production more than phosphate.
So after the fruit is well set after 3 weeks , feed higher rates of potassium. 1-1-2 Potassium should be double compared to nitrogen and phosphate.

thanks again for all the help.

Cricket

6/9/2007 8:19:46 AM

[email protected]

Very high Phosphorus will promote flowering. The trouble is that even most "bloom buster" type fertilizers also contain Nitrogen.

What is the analysis of "bloom burst" that you have?

6/9/2007 11:04:56 AM

Nauvoo, Alabama

10-52-10 Bloom Burst

6/10/2007 10:42:14 PM

Nauvoo, Alabama

Then I have for fruit production:
Only thing i could find is 9-18-21
But also bought Agro K 0-0-6 to use with it.

6/10/2007 10:48:35 PM