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Re: Open and self pollinated

Duncan,
   Most pumpkins are temperature sensitive and will not set fruit at elevated
temperatures. Some pumpkins are more sensitive than others. With Atlantic
Giants and many field pumpkins, if you have 90 degree days and 70 degree
nights, you will have trouble. I haven't figured out yet, if it is the 90
plus days , the 70 degree nights or the average temp of 80 that gets you into
trouble. I can tell you this, if the day goes above 90, you will have trouble
setting fruit. I don't know if the female becomes non-viable, the pollen dies
or if the pollen tube does not develop properly in the female. About 5 years
ago I did 100 hand pollinations on a variety of different plants during a 95
to 100 degree spell. Not one of those pollinations made it. When the weather
cooled back down to 85 degrees, almost all plants set fruit. I went to a
pumpkin growers seminar at Cornell this year and they found the same to be
true.
                                                   pumkinguy@aol.com
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