Re: Pumpkin Pollination

Sounds more than reasonable - if I had some to cut off I would leave
them till basketball size. So far, all female flowers have definitely
not pollinated as they have been dropping off and becoming shivelled
within a day or two of opening and not progressing past golf ball
status. There is one that would be about the size of a grapefruit and
grwoing pretty fast so fingers crossed on that one. 
My plants have had a bit of a hard time in the past week or so. Over
Xmas/New Year and the last week, I kept going away for a couple of
days at a time and was unable to look after the patch properly. 
Some of the leaves developed a fungal infection of some sort, while
the rest of the plant has been hit by a combination of salt & wind
stress, heat stress and a possible lack of nutrients. Two days ago, I
pruned the worst affected leaves off and have stepped up my
fertilizing & fungicide programs, and at the moment am watering deeply
in the morning and also lightly once or twice in the arvo. Yesterday
was 41.5 C (106.7F) with today 42C (107.6F) The night time temps have
also been very warm (about 22C 71F) so the plant is not having a very
happy holiday. Forecast for tomorrow is a cool change (29C 84.2F) and
warming up for a hot weekend in the high thirties.
oh well I'm enjoying the weather even if the garden isn't.
john

Lubadub wrote:
> 
> George is correct. You won't know whether or not the female pumpkins have been
> properly pollinated until they get to be about basketball size. So don't go
> cutting off too many as you cannot be certain they have been properly
> pollinated and won't just drop off on their own later.
> 
> Marv in Altoona PA
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-- 
John McKinney
http://www.wantree.com.au/~oliverm/pumpkin.htm 
o*@wantree.com.au
I'm Sorry - http://www.qantm.com.au/indigenet/sorry/
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