Pumpkin growers? (growing, fertilization, spring, north)

[JerZ]

Anybody growing pumpkins this year?

I've tried luminas and baby boos. I have just one baby boo so far and he never grew to his full size...he's about 2" across. But I finally picked 'im because growth had stopped.

Now it's full-on summer and I'm still getting the occasional female but my males and females aren't matching up very well with when they bloom so I'm not sure if anything is pollinating.

I am finding it VERY hard to grow pumpkins in this area (I'm originally from the northeast).

Anybody else growing pumpkins? How are things going? Got any fertilized "babies" yet?

[rojo4251]

Hi I'm up in Chico, CA, and am a first-time totally inexperienced pumpkin grower. I have about 40 male blossoms and haven't seen any female ones for the last two months. I water twice daily once in the early am and once in the afternoon and fertilize once a week. Any suggestions?

[Inthesierras]

I have about a dozen pumpkins growing. Most are the size of a volleyball right now. I lost several plants early on, we had a long spring. We cold temps into June. I am also growing blue hubbards. They are a winter squash that you can make into pies and taste similiar to pumpkin. Those are growing really well too.

[paperhouse]

My lone pumpkin. These were planted from seed back in late April. I've had tons of male blooms but hardly any female blossoms. It won't make it.

[azoria]

We have 3 pumpkin plants going, grown from seed. They've been flowering like mad for months but so far, only one actual pumpkinette has appeared.

The plants now seem to be dying and the massive leaves it put out are just mush of powdery mildew. It's a mess. Very disappointing.

[MoNative34]

I've had a different problem. I planted mine during the first week in June and the seed packet said 120 days... I have plenty of pumpkins, but they grew and turned yellow and then orange in the last few weeks. Its only been about 75 days... I really wanted ripe pumpkins in late September, not August. I have been told that they can be stored for long periods of time in dark and cool places so I may have to do that. Still wondering why 120 day pumpkins made it to their peak so fast!!

[South Range Family]

Originally Posted by rojo4251

Hi I'm up in Chico, CA, and am a first-time totally inexperienced pumpkin grower. I have about 40 male blossoms and haven't seen any female ones for the last two months. I water twice daily once in the early am and once in the afternoon and fertilize once a week. Any suggestions?

Try changing your fertilizer. The second number is phosphorous. It is known as a bloom builder. It should be higher than the nitrogen that was used to put size onto the plant. I always used Miller's-solu-gro 12-48-8.

[Inthesierras]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

I've had a different problem. I planted mine during the first week in June and the seed packet said 120 days... I have plenty of pumpkins, but they grew and turned yellow and then orange in the last few weeks. Its only been about 75 days... I really wanted ripe pumpkins in late September, not August. I have been told that they can be stored for long periods of time in dark and cool places so I may have to do that. Still wondering why 120 day pumpkins made it to their peak so fast!!

Are you sure they are done growing? Our pumpkins usually turn orange 4-6 weeks before the end of the growing cycle. By the time we pick them they are a deep orange color. Maybe your still have some time.

[Inthesierras]

Originally Posted by azoria

We have 3 pumpkin plants going, grown from seed. They've been flowering like mad for months but so far, only one actual pumpkinette has appeared.

The plants now seem to be dying and the massive leaves it put out are just mush of powdery mildew. It's a mess. Very disappointing.

Maybe next year you can pollinate them yourself. I use a q-tip and a small cup to help collect the falling pollen.

[azoria]

Originally Posted by Inthesierras

Maybe next year you can pollinate them yourself. I use a q-tip and a small cup to help collect the falling pollen.

Pumpkin in vitro fertilization?

That does seem to be stretching the home gardener a bit far.....