Re: Pumpkin Pollination

John S,
That was confusing I thought I was replying to John Mac.
I have just looked at where I am compared to last year. I was planning to
grow the pumpkins on the main runner as last time but kept some standbys (a
week more advanced) in case of problems. One primary failed and the other is
a little later than I had hoped at this time. The secondaries are about 50
inches around and putting on a couple of inches a day. This about the same
as last time when I felt it hadn't completed growing when the comp was held.
I may be wrong as Wendy seems to prefer a later date but I would expect to
be way passed the tennis ball stage by now.
As I discussed earlier I suspected I had a problem with mites and listening
to the Saturday morning gardening show I noticed that a lot of people in
this town are having problems with two spotted mites. The gardener says it
it the hot dry weather. Now that some rain has arrived the problem has
vanished in my patch. The gardener suggests turning the leaf over and
exposing it to the sun. The mites which are normally difficult to see don't
like the sun and start to move, then you can see them. The best cure is to
keep moist, spray regularly with water mist.
I also read a hint on white fly. They are apparently attracted to yellow, so
you cut several yellow squares of wood 1' x 1' and paint bright yellow then
coat with oil. The flys stick to the oil. You apparently need to clean and
redo at intervals. I use yellow plastic lids.

Stewart ACT Aust
sdeans@pcug.org.au
-----Original Message-----
From: John Sargeant <John.Sargeant@stdc.govt.nz>
To: 'pumpkins@mallorn.com' <pumpkins@mallorn.com>
Date: Friday, 9 January 1998 6:43
Subject: RE: Pumpkin Pollination


>Good asvise - thanks. I will let off the watering. There is a Southerly
>blow reportedly arriving for the weekend. I may have to get up the
>potassium levels a bit more I think. I have only managed tennis ball
>size but there is still plenty of time - isn't there????
>
>"Have a Parky Day"
>John S.
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Stewart Deans [SMTP:sdeans@pcug.org.au]
>> Sent: Thursday, 8 January 1998 22:27
>> To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
>> Subject: Re: Pumpkin Pollination
>>
>> John,
>> I think I got the mesage, I have had about four fruit larger than
>> basket
>> ball size but I havn't liked the position they were growing in and
>> have been
>> wanting to get some started in better locations while keeping them on
>> in
>> case. I am confident in one good location but the other has stopped
>> growing
>> and I am about to write it off.
>> Sounds like you are having a bad run of hot weather, I wouldn't water
>> every
>> day, let the air get to the roots, perhaps every second day with a
>> light
>> surface sprinkle in the afternoon like you are doing to reduce heat
>> affects.
>>
>> Stewart ACT Aust
>> sdeans@pcug.org.au
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: John McKinney <oliverm@wantree.com.au>
>> To: pumpkins@mallorn.com <pumpkins@mallorn.com>
>> Date: Wednesday, 7 January 1998 19:30
>> Subject: 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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