Allotments 4 All

How are people coping with the rain affecting plants that require pollination such as squash and pumpkins?

I havent been able to protect most of mine from the rain and it always seems that the female flowers tend to open on those rainy mornings. 

For those that open on dry days, I remove the petals off the female flowers the next day to increase airflow and prevent the petals from going mouldy and causing the fruit to rot.

My squash are tiny-they haven't got to the flower stage yet!

I am hand pollinating everything. Using any available male flower. Then I tie up female If rain is due.

Today got 2 wet females open so have managed to dry out and cover up n will pollinate tomoz with any.males that open up.

Have done ok over all with hand pollination as most have had good leave cover and at.the right angle

Oh..no problems with wet weather and pollination..or mouldy petals.. ;D


I haven't got a single flower on any of my plants..none on squashes, courgettes or pumpkins.. ::) Plants have been  in ground long enough for loads of top growth but process so far is slooooooow.. ::)
Some were eaten into ground by slugs and snails, those were replanted..and those that have survived..so far..well, they look healthy enough but they just can't decide weather to grow some flippers instead of roots.

..and my brilliant effort of mulching them with loads of straw to keep soil 'moist' haven't helped neither..those that don't have mulch have progressed bit further although planted slightly later. But, I'm aint gonna start shifting wet straw from all over the place..they just have to do and hopefully they will thank me later on when the heat kicks in...
..OH YES..it will..!!!

Went to Weight Watchers today & saw a lady from our site & she said her broad beans have rotted on the plants, composted those. She has beautiful big courgette & squash plants with tiny fruits. Nothing is growing on her plot except from lots of lettuce, god job she's at WW ;D.

There were loads of bees on the poppies last thursday simply buzzing. but no sign of them near the courgettes.  I have been hand pollinating.  Picked 6 courgettes this moning.   Sounds good until I tell you I have about 24 plants.  The best of mine are on the eastern side of  straw bales and that gives out a gentle heat for several weeks as well as keeping the wind off them. Last year I grew courgettes on top of the bales, but the courgettes beside the bales did better.   

Broadbeans doing well, large Bumblie working well yesterday evening.

Three huge pumpkin plants not a sign of a flower. ??? ???

Pumpkins flowering and some have set, but although there are a few pods forming on the gigandas in the GH it's pretty poor pollination on them so far, entire sprays of flowers have come and gone without setting... will hand pollinate at the weekend..

I have bee -attracting flowers and things are pollinating fine

Fruit set is not great on many of my tomatoes, just been too damp for pollen production. Fruit is forming, but trusses incomplete.
Runner beans, poor so far but I'm hoping with the last few days having some dry time things will improve  :-\
Squash were fairly late sown, waiting on the first flowers.
Aubergine, they don't want to know at the moment, sulking big time.
Chillies doing well, although a few fruit falling off.
Sweet corn in the polytunnel ::) who knows, just been so damp and cold hopefully some will be full.