Pumpkin Planting!

[DMF]

You may have to get the extra long Q tips out and start pollinating the flowers.

If I do, it would be the first time...never even considered it before.

 

[Luremaker]

If I do, it would be the first time...never even considered it before.

It is rather easy to do. Cut off two male flowers (from different plants), poke the Q tip deep into each flower to pick up some pollen. Now walk around and gently poke the Q tip into the female flowers.

 

[natem]

So glad i was told about this thread thanks. Because I just love to grow pumpkins.
My pumpkin patch is on a much smaller scale, would like to expand but just dont have the land, I wish I did. The plants that survived that wet, cool spring have really taken off now. Looks to be a lot of fruit. The hole q-tip thing does work, that is how I pollinate the giants. Here is a pic of my giant and the vines from last year. Happy growing!!

 

[Luremaker]

Hi Natem, great pictures. I really like the flower shop display. Your pumpkins like most everyone else's this year were a little slow to vine out but look like they are doing really nice now.

 

[natem]

Those are pics from last year. I will try to get some new ones.

 

[Kernopelli]

This is our first year for planting any. I would like to work up to about an acre patch someday. Since I've never grown any I wanted to get my feet wet and plant a few this year and get the hang of things. Our plants have been flowering for weeks and the vines are starting to run but no fruit yet. The plants look great and almost every day you can see a noticeable difference in the vines and how they are starting to spread and growing fast. We planted the first week in July, the soonest weather would permit. Anyway, I'd like to hear some opinions from the pumpkins gurus, I keep thinking I should be seeing some pumpkins by now but don't have a clue if I am being overly anxious or if we're really behind. How long after they start flowering do you usually see fruit?

 

[Luremaker]

This is our first year for planting any. I would like to work up to about an acre patch someday. Since I've never grown any I wanted to get my feet wet and plant a few this year and get the hang of things. Our plants have been flowering for weeks and the vines are starting to run but no fruit yet. The plants look great and almost every day you can see a noticeable difference in the vines and how they are starting to spread and growing fast. We planted the first week in July, the soonest weather would permit. Anyway, I'd like to hear some opinions from the pumpkins gurus, I keep thinking I should be seeing some pumpkins by now but don't have a clue if I am being overly anxious or if we're really behind. How long after they start flowering do you usually see fruit?

Hi Kernopelli, Pumpkins have both male and female flowers. Female flowers have what looks like a small pumpkin at the base of the flower while male flowers do not have them. You must have both male and female flowers in order to pollinate the female flowers. If your summer has been very cool (under 70 degrees) your plants may not have developed any female flowers. Unpollinated female flowers will simply fall off after a few days. If you do not see any bees in you patch you may have to pull out the q-tips as mentioned above.

What variety of pumpkin did you plant and how many growing days does it require?

See the link below for a nice summary of pumpkin growing requirements for Michgan.
http://www.michiganorganic.msu.edu/Portals/0/Pumpkins Squash and Gourds.pdf

I have had patches as large as two acres but have decide that a little over 1/2 acre produces all the pumpkins I need and I can actually keep up with the weeding. Here are a few pictures taken yesterday.

 

[natem]

Here are some pics of mine.

 

[barrybro]

Some mums I sell along with my pumpkins.

 

[DMF]

Very nice!

Well gents, it looks like I am out of the pumkin business. A quick look during the rain storm on Saturday did not reveal any pumpkins in the patch....none....nada...