From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Zone 6, Missouri

This may sound stupid but, I have set my first pumpkin about 5 days ago and it's about 10" right now and lookin' really good, I hand pollinated about 10 AM and then tied the blossom shut, only problem is, I had a Big Max (I don't know why) about 100ft. away with One male on it. What's the chance of that one male pollinating that female over 100ft. away and between 6 and 10 AM? I mean the pumpkin looks great and I know it won't effect the size of this years fruit but, you know? I would love for the next year to be better not worse.

What do ya think?

Thanks.

7/8/2007 5:36:41 AM

New Hampshire

To be a purest you need to call it a open pollinated. For the love of this hobby we need to be purist if we are going to swap and trade seeds with others.

7/8/2007 7:31:36 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

I second what Bears said. I don't know if a Big Max can pollinate an AG but, until I find out, I wouldn't say that the hand pollination is THE one.

The blossom should have been protected before opening.

7/8/2007 8:41:59 AM

Cornell, Wi

bugs and bees move very fast, should mainly be ag but a chance of a few seeds being crossed, I say open.

7/8/2007 11:00:23 AM

Nashville, TN

Regardless of what it was pollinated with - the final SIZE/WEIGHT of the fruit depends entirely on the 'mother's' genetics... The father of the SEEDS, will have no effect on the fruit..

Now the plants produced from the seed in question - could be effected depending on 'sire'...

7/8/2007 12:25:15 PM

So. Maine

Ozark ,how about waiting for the next female to get ready to OPEN then cover it and a couple of choice males the night before and then you can perform a clean cross....

7/8/2007 3:12:54 PM

Zone 6, Missouri

Wow thanks for the feedback! The reason I did not cover was a stupid beginer mistake, I did not think that the female was ready? Now I did cover another female and pollinated it and tied it off, but do you need to cover the males too? Also is possible to have two good sized pumpkins on the same vine between 10 to 15 feet apart?

thanks a lot!

7/9/2007 3:43:40 AM

Zone 6, Missouri

Sorry for the double post. If I do need to cover males also, I will have to cut a fruit off. Now can I do that at any time or does it have to be certain size?

thanks again.

7/9/2007 4:05:49 AM