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Big hitter notes part 2

By Joel Holland copyrighted 97? if required

TRANSPLANTING:	After 2 - 5 days, transplant the potted plant to prepared
growing beds.  Protect young seedlings with properly ventilated cloches
or mini-greenhouses.  Water as necessary to avoid heat stress or
wilting.  When well established cloches my be removed.  Wind protection
my be needed until  plant is well anchored with vines on the ground. 
Mound soil over vines at several leaf axils to stabilize plant and to
encourage secondary rooting from the vines.  Water as needed, adding
balanced soluble fertilizer to water once per week.  Control weeds with
mulching, shallow cultivation, and hand weeding as necessary.  Remember,
shallow roots may extend 4 ft. or more out from perimeter of the plant.

FRUIT SET: The plant should blossom and set fruit between July 1 and
20.  Male blossom will appear first. Males are on long stems with a rod
like structure inside the flower which is coated with pollen.  The first
open male flowers will  generally be towards the center of the plant. 
Female flowers are on a short stem, and have a  small round yellow
pumpkin behind the flower.  'The first female flower to open will be out
from the center of the plant on one of the vigorously growing vines.  In
the absence of  bee activity or to get an earlier set, the grower my
hand pollinate a newly opened female blossom with several of the fresh
male flowers.  Pick several newly opened male flowers and tear away the
yellow flower portion, exposing the pollen bearing stamen . Leave part
of the stem to use as a handle and gently roll the pollen from the males
onto the stigma in the center of the newly opened female blossom. 
Depending on temperature and weather, this is generally done from early
to mid morning.  Males from the same plant as the female to be
pollinated, may be used, (self pollinated).  However-,: for best seed
quality, it is best to use males from a separate and not closely related
plant, (cross pollinated).  The plant must be large enough to support a
fast growing pumpkin, therefore setting a fruit too early can have a
negative result.  The plant should have a minimum of 100 - 150 leaves
before a pumpkin is set.

-- 
Duncan McAlpine, Federal Way, WA
Why buy plants when you can grow them yourself.....?
http://www.eskimo.com/~mcalpin/
http://www.eskimo.com/~mcalpin/pumkin.html
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