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Location

Message

Date Posted

Kuna, Id.

With all the talk about genetics and seed cavities.I Pollinated a late bloom 8/2. To learn a little more about growing these things. I only pollinated three of the six stigma.Then covered it to stop the bees.As of now it is 25"s-s,29"e-e,and 44.5" cir. total of 98.5.One side of the pumpkin is nice and round the other side is flat with no girth,it looks like half a pumpkin.How important is pollination? From what I see very very important.Come next year I'll try to hand pollinate everything being sure to share the pollen with all the stigma.I wonder if the amout of pollen matters? Ken

8/19/2001 12:31:50 AM

Puyallup, WA

Excellant experiment! I'm impressed! Hand pollination is key...through hand pollination. I've heard that some use as many a five males to pollinate a female!

8/19/2001 2:04:20 AM

Rush, NY

That was a very good experiment and the result is not a surprize to me. That is why fruit that have "Seeds in the Blossom" don't develope properly in the section of the fruit with the seeds.

8/19/2001 6:29:08 AM

Buffalo, NY

Besides saying "the whole thing," where's the most important part of the female to make sure is hand pollinated? the center, the lobe crevices/holes, the outer lobe areas, the undersides, etc?? Of six females I had, the one growing the best is the one I hand pollinated AFTER some bees already got to it. Three others that were hand pollinated grew to canteloupe size and aborted (maybe the heatwave we had) and 1 other is doing good although it used to be the best grower, not anymore. The last one is a wait & see, just 2 or 3 days old. And then there were two...

8/19/2001 11:49:25 AM