Re: Heavy rains

Jeff,

When I think a flower, male or female, is ready to bloom, I put a plastic zip
bag over it.

If I'm wrong, I take it off in the morning and put it back on at night.

If I'm right, I pollinate and tie the flower together for 24 hours.  After
that, I pluck the petals to avoid mold and fungus problems and, depending on
rainfall, may erect a tent structure until the pumpkin takes off.

Steve Minor

--- On Sun, 6/27/10, Jeff Potter <maple-leaf@kpe.biglobe.ne.jp> wrote:

From: Jeff Potter <maple-leaf@kpe.biglobe.ne.jp>
Subject: Heavy rains
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Date: Sunday, June 27, 2010, 6:17 AM

I live in southern Japan, and have been trying to grow pumpkins, ANY SIZE
pumpkins, for several years, with no luck. I didn't really put much effort
into it, just planted and waited, not really knowing what I was doing.
I got the giant pumpkin bug when I received some seeds from the local
champion, a 200 kger.I've done some studying, finally got a copy of Don
Langevin's Giant Pumpkins II, did what I could with the soil in the spring,
planted both in pots and directly, and have got some amazing, big,
healthy-looking plants. I have a lot of male flowers, and several females not
yet bloomed. I am out at 5:00am every morning just in case. In Don's book, he
says I will know when the flower is ready to bloom, but I am not so sure. My
problem is, we have a major rainy season here in Asia, it has rained heavily
for 2 straight days, with a forecast for more, until Thursday. My question
is,
how can I protect my ladies, will the heavy rain have an effect on them even
if they do not open, and if they do, can I pollinate them in the rain.

Thanks, first time poster,

Jeff

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