Your comments and tips

11 Dec 17, Gary (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Cheryl, pumpkins and the like start off with plenty of male flowers, so that when the female flowers form (which should be any time now) there are plenty of male flowers to be able to pollinate them. When the pumpkin runners get to about 3 meters pinch out the tips and they will put out more runners thus giving more crop. Cheers Gary

Reply or Post a new comment

11 Dec 17, Michelle (Australia - arid climate)

Usually the first flowers on a plant are male - be patient! These are used to pollinate the female flowers that will form shortly.

Reply or Post a new comment

13 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Just a point, pumpkin female flowers only open one day - until about mid arvo. If no bees, break off a male flower and pollinate the female flower with it. I did this the other week - two different f flowers in three days. One grew one died. ????

Reply or Post a new comment

23 Nov 17, terry (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

hi im in nth NSW just near kyogle and lismore my pumpkin plants refuse to form pumkins there seems to be no bees anywhere and its getting to be a major worry Queensland blue pumkins are the best tasting for use in sweet pumpkin pies ill try to hand pollonatye today also is it likely i will have the same problems if i buy seedlings these ones were seed i saved out of a pumkin from last year thanks for your time Terry

Reply or Post a new comment

23 Nov 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Just found this - commercial production. For efficient pollination and fruit set, there must be: both male and female flowers and bees to move pollen from male to female flowers. A number of factors can influence pollination, Cold and overcast days limit pollination activity of bees. Hot dry conditions desiccate pollen making it unviable. Rapid growth promotes earlier flowering. However, high temperatures, long days and high rates of nitrogen can result in: vigorous vegetative growth and few flowers and a higher proportion of male to female flowers. It is important to check the sex of the flowers. A ratio of 1 female to 7 male flowers is usually considered adequate. Flowers open early in the day and for one day only, and they close by mid afternoon. These periods are shorter under high temperatures. Flowers are most receptive to pollination in the morning when bee activity is usually the highest. Bees are necessary for pollination and must be active in the crop. Flowers require at least 12 bee visits for good pollination. If bees are not plentiful, introduce at least two hives per ha after female flowers appear and male flowers start producing pollen. Spread hives around the field outside the crop, preferably so that bees have to fly over the crop to get to another food source. Destroy flowering weeds around the crop.

Reply or Post a new comment

23 Nov 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I was given a Jap pumpkin and I grew a Qld blue earlier this year. The Jap was by far the better for flavor. When I was growing the Qld blue it rained (heavy) several times and the female flowers were very wet inside and just rotted. If no bees plant some flowers (research flowers for bees) around your yard. I'm doing this as I have very few bees I think. Also it is best to grow pumpkin into winter I have read. It wouldn't make any difference if using seeds or seedlings. I have two Jap pumpkin growing now - will be interesting to see if they produce.

Reply or Post a new comment

15 Oct 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I was starting to cut up some pumpkin the other day for scones. Hard skin pumpkin to cut. Then I thought - give the pumpkin skin a good wash, cut the pumpkin up and cook it - then peel the skin off - a lot easier.

Reply or Post a new comment

28 Sep 17, Jenni (Australia - temperate climate)

My 9 year old has been eager to grow something she can eat so I gave her some pumpkin seeds from a store brought pumpkin. She dried them out and buried them. Leaves are starting to grow to my surprise. She tenderly waters them each day but wants to know, what she can "feed" them to make sure they are nice and tasty. Also, is it even the right time to grow pumpkin? We are on the south coast of South Australia and the weather is...well odd at the moment. Any tips to pass on to a very enthused and dedicated 9 year old girl? Thanks!

Reply or Post a new comment

02 Oct 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Great to hear of someone so young who wants to grow things. If this attempt fails, tell her to try next year. Plant around April/May and grow into the winter. If you have or can make a garden bed, tell her to try growing some radishes - nearly the easiest thing to grow. Go to Bunnings or a nursery and buy some punnets of lettuce or other things she likes and plant them. When starting out it is a lot easier to plant seedlings. The hard work has been done to germinate them. Also buy a little container of fertiliser (about 2kg or so) from nursery or Bunnings etc. I use a watering can (9 liters) and add a small tupperware cup of fertiliser to the water. Give it a good stir. Scale this down to say 1/2 to 3/4 of a tablespoon in 1-2 liters of water. Wait until the plants have grown to 3-4-5 inches. Little plants little fertiliser and more as they get bigger. Good luck.

Reply or Post a new comment

30 Sep 17, Darren (Australia - temperate climate)

Spread some compost around the seedlings, and then add plenty of mulch, to save on water in summer. As they get bigger, cut the watering back to a couple of times a week.

Reply or Post a new comment