Re: Male Flower Question

George,
          Were you all growing the same seed? My guess, it was caused by
mutation of the plants. It's natures way of trying to make sure something
survives. Not all mutations are successful. But, by nature randomly throwing
out mutations, it increases the odds that something will survive. What does
goes on, what doesn't dyes out. The old survival of the fittest. If it was not
for mutations we would not have the large pumpkins we have today. However, if
left to nature alone, they would not survive. Only by mans intervention and
care do they exist. If they were left on their own, in just a few generations,
they would mutate back to much smaller pumpkins. They can not, and would not,
survive without mans care.
   This is why we are told to not marry our cousins/family members. You
increase the risk of fixing poor mutations, or undesirable traits. But, you
can also fix wanted mutations, like large size, color, etc. All breeding of
everything, tends toward the norn (normal) Two great looking people, most
likely, will not have children that looks as good as them, but still better
that the average. Two, unattractive people, will most likely have children
that look better than them. Again, breeding tends to reverse back towards the
normal gene pool. We fix traits, both good and bad, by inbreeding. We add
traits we want by breeding into that pool of genes we desire. But, with that
we risk fixing undesirable traits. Example, 895 Hester Squash seed. Good
traits, large, dark green, great shape, but the killer trait that was getting
fixed, it had the tendency to not except outside pollen from other Squash
plants, and had to be self pollinated most of the time. Thus, a serious bad
mutation that has lead to the deterioration of the squash line. Only Hester
seeds that would except outside pollen will go on. The others will get weeded
out quickly, unless they are self breed, almost starting a new individual
species/line.
  So, were you all planting similar, or same seeds from closely related gene
pools? Look for other things that you all may have done in common. New sprays,
chemicals, that may have altered the plants natural development.

       Alan Reynolds





-----Original Message-----
From: George & Carolyn Heyne <gheyne@millcomm.com>
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Sent: Fri, Sep 2, 2011 12:28 am
Subject: Re: Male Flower Question


Steve,

My soil test indicated that phosphorus was very high and potassium was high.
So, I do not think it was lack of phosphorus/potassium. The manganese level
was listed at very low, but I added some magnesium sulfate to the soil this
Spring.

George Heyne
Rochester, MN

----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Minor" <minok2014@yahoo.com>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 8:50 PM
Subject: Re: Male Flower Question

> My first guess, off the top of my head, would be a lack of >
phosphorus/potassium, but only a soil test can tell you what is missing.
>
> I'm interested in hearing from more experienced growers.
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: George & Carolyn Heyne <gheyne@millcomm.com>
> To: pumpkins@hort.net
> Sent: Thursday, September 1, 2011 3:36 PM
> Subject: Male Flower Question
>
> Several of us in the Rochester area have had this problem this year.
>
> The male flowers are lime green or yellow green and they do not have >
stamens.
> They stay open for days. On one of my plants, a lot of my male flowers >
died
> before they even opened. On some plants, this male flower condition did >
not
> appear until late August.
>
> Does anyone know what might cause this problem or why it is happening?
>
> George Heyne
> Rochester, MN
>
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