This is only my second year growing pumpkins and though I have read all I can find on the topic I am unable to find out what may be happening in my gardnen at the moment. I am getting little female buds on my vines but after a while they just turn yellow and fall off. They are still pretty tiny when this happens, the fruit under the buds never get past marble size before this happens. I am trying to find out whether this is due to too much or too little watering, bugs or anything else. I prepared the bed with all the necessary nutrients and a recent soil test says there's a high level of nitrogen as well as phosphorous so I am wondering is there another thing I should be using in the soil? If anyone has anything to offer on this matter I will greatly appreicate your help. Thank you!
Howdy Pumpknlovr, Sounds like pollination problem to me. I have no problem ever since I started doing hand pollination early in the morning. Peace Thean
Thanks! I was thinking about doing that. I was out of town for a few days and it seems that some pollination has taken place so I am hoping all goes well =)
I have had exactly the same problem. A long vine of male flowers exclusively, and after about 3 meers, one female bud, not an open flower yet, but already turning yellow and seeming close to fallinf off. The same happened last year. This has happened this year with my 2 pumpkin plants. The vines are extremely healthy and vigorous. Do they need pruning, less water, or what? Rox
On the subject of hand pollination for pumpkins i read somewhere to hand pollinate, to use a very fine paint brush to transfer the pollen from the male to the female flower.As breaking off the male stamen kills the pollen, is this true Brian
