Since last spring we have planted 2 x Butternut, 2 x Golden Nugget, 4 x Kent/Jap & had one HUGE Kent self sown pumpkin in the Patch in the backyard... All but the Self sown Kent were dismal failures... Will not even be bothering with the Butternuts again as this is about the 3rd time we have had no luck with them... The Golden Nuggets will have 1 more chance next season as we now understand a bit more about soil make up & Composting... We have 1 Kent growing in the front yard in a pile of Grass clippings that looks like it will be a success though...
Hand pollination...
Pumpkins are in the Cucurbit family which also includes Zucchini, Squash, Melons, Gourds, Luffas & Cucumbers.. They bear Imperfect flowers which means that they have male flowers (left) that produce pollen & female flowers (right) that are connected to the fruit...Hand pollinating is as easy as pulling off the male flower, removing the petals to form a cup around the Stamen then upending it over the female flower allowing the pollen to fall onto the Stigma...We also like to lightly brush the Stamen on the Stigma just to make certain... The pollen then fertilises an ovule in the ovary of the flower which becomes a seed & starts the process of forming the tasty fruit surrounding it which completes the pollination process... Other family members use a paint brush that is set aside for this purpose... We have found pollinating this way has a near 100% success rate...
There are about 6 fruit that we a certain will mature & about another 5 or so that we will wait until they grow to the size of a softball before we will count them in the tally for the plant...
I haven't mentioned this vine in fear of Jinxing it to tell you the truth...
**Crosses fingers & Knocks on all available Wood**
We will be feeding it some fresh compost tea & removing a few bits of the die back around the main stem this weekend just to pamper it a bit...
Have a great one all....
: )»
I just tried hand pollinating for the first time I hope mine works out as well as yours. I am trying to ensure same variety next year so have protected it from being pollinated by any "foreign" types.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for the pumpkins at your place.
Very informative thanks for that. I planted pumpkin seeds for the first time. I have a very big vine that has started to encroach on my clothes line which is a bit worrying. I noticed a bee this morning doing it's work so I won't bother with the hand pollination. And we have a few pumpkins starting to grow. I wonder if it'll be warm enough for them now though? Fingers crossed and knocks on wood too.
ReplyDeletethat's a great tip ..thanks for sharing . when we grew pumpkins last time the kangaroos ate them all.
ReplyDeleteI tried this with a butternut I had. but no luck, I just wish my golden nuggets would get some female flowers on them so I could try them.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying this with my zucchini's but still no success, usually the ants do the job really well but not this year.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the clip of how pollination is done, and I was pleased to see that I have been doing it right. So I shall just keep waiting. Just not the year for it I think.
Tania
Hope yours go well too ElsieMay... We have lost a few over the last few we days as the pollination didn't "take", Such is...
ReplyDeleteHi Veggiegobbler.. Ours last plant grew & fruited through winter up here.. Bit warmer than yours in Melbourne though... Good luck with them...
**Crosses extra fingers for Veggiegobbler**
Must of been too tasty for them to pass up Sherrie... I have memories of my Father & Uncle laying Chicken mesh over the vines on my Nans farm to stop the Roo's from scoffing the fruit down... That might help a bit...
I know your frustrations Lynne... Wont be trying the Butternuts again... We were getting females on the golden nuggets & fertilising them but the fruit just wouldn't set... Will try them again though as we have had great success with them at previous houses... Maybe give them a good liquid fertiliser like Seasol or some worm juice... Even some home made compost tea... Hop you have some success with them soon...
Have a great one all...
Hi Tania...
ReplyDeleteIs it hot down there Tania ??
I think it was the heat that effects the pollination... Hope you get a few to "stick"
RB