I read the previous messages about male and female pumpkin flowers, and I've had a go at artificial pollination (ala Robert Winston). However, the females don't seem to be turning into fruit. Once the flower has died the fruit seems to rot (even those that I have plaved a floor tile underneath).
Are the females being pollinated? Or are they being pollinated and then rotted? What can I do?
Thanks in advance for any help.
PS This is my fisrt attempt at pumpkins, and the plants are taking over the whole veg plot!
try this
http://www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/pollenfaq.htm
Haven't even got flowers yet, the one that had keeled over like you say!
:-[
The rotting ones haven't been pollinated, sorry Rob! :-\ But the pollination method works, perservere!
I am so depressed about the state of our squashes I can barely look at them. Only a few straggly ones, not very big and the snails have eaten most of several! :'( A miserable year. After such a great last year too. Boo. :P
I will concentrate on the jerusalem artichokes, which are HUGE n gorgeous! My lettuces are lovely too. I just don't love the other veggies like I do me squashes tho...
I am really hoping some ofthe squash and pumplins I have hadn pollinated are going to take as the whole point of taking a second lottie was to give me lots of room for my squashes. My OH is going to be well put out as I have spent the spring clearing this new lottie for the pumpkins. Oh well if all else fails i will have to buy supermarket butternuts this winter - a real come down after some of the Australian blues we had last year.
I am really excited now, this is my melon on 1st Jul and I have not seen it since as I am in Nice until 20th July.
Looking at Manics' growth over a few days, maybe 3 weeks will be long enough to be dramatic.
I will post the result on Saturday.
Just for a change, for those who click links, my wife has a Nice website with views of our apartment and those golden sun soaked beaches.........
http://www.allaboutnice.com/