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Woburn, Ma

What was I thinking?... This is my first year growing a A.G. I have noticed the first female (and only so far) on the main vine. Because I am use to growing other varities of pumpkins I thought this first female would just abort because of the color. If this female had been on any of my other plants it would never have opened. I came home this morning, looked out from my kitchen window and sure enough it was wide open. It also looked very healthy inside. The bee that was in there evidently agreed with me. I had only two males ready to take and try and pollinate. I quickly did this and tied the female up. I'm freakin' because I have dozens of different variety males that were open also. I'm trying not to be to concerned because I hope I will have other females to pollinate but still.... what was I thinking? I have looked at so many dairy pictures you think I would have been more familiar with light color.

7/20/2004 10:25:50 AM

[email protected]

Its OK Blaine. You'll probably miss more openings in the future. But not the next one I'll wager.

You could still have added more male pollen. The fruit would still be an "open pollination", but who cares? As newbie growers, no one really wants to grow our fruit but us anyway. You'll have other chances to do controlled crosses.

Grow it on & enjoy!

7/20/2004 10:50:54 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

As a newbie with only one plant, I decided the open pollination route was best for me. My first female opened this morning(a beautiful 5 lober!). I hand pollinated, in case the bees didn't do the job. This year is a learning experience for me. I hope to be able to recognize when the females and males are going to open, in case I decide to do crosses next year. I've already learned a lot in my first "serious" year of growing AGs.
Good lukc Blaine!

Doug

7/20/2004 11:39:23 AM

Southern WI

Isn't it an amazing experience !!?!!

7/20/2004 12:27:58 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

Blaine: the pumpkin would only cross with other varieties of Curcurbitia Maxima's explamples would be of course Atlantic giant, BigMax , burpee prize winners , hubbard squash, and several others they will not cross with your run of the mill jack-o-lantern type pumpkins or summer squash, also if they did cross with say a hubbard squash, you would not see any difference in the pumpkin this year as the genes would be passed along with the seeds.

Glenn Peters

7/20/2004 1:27:39 PM

Ri

hey blaine nothing wrong with a 1500 lb open pollination at topsfield, NO??? Good Luck Peter

7/20/2004 8:34:20 PM

Ri

hey blaine nothing wrong with a 1500 lb open pollination at topsfield, NO??? Good Luck Peter

7/20/2004 8:34:26 PM

Woburn, Ma

Hey, I might be in luck then !! I feel much better now. If they are selective in what they cross breed with I had no open males at that time on my Big Max plants. Too bad there wasn't a way to cross them with a blueberry... wouldn't that be a site!

7/21/2004 10:49:02 AM