Your comments and tips

23 Dec 17, w watson (Australia - temperate climate)

my pumpkins are growing but reach small size then turn yellow and die

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30 Dec 17, Bob (Australia - temperate climate)

It sounds like they are not pollinating. As soon as you see a female flower (the ones with the fruit behind them), pinch off a male flower and rub them together. Insects are meant to do it, but sometimes prefer to play on other plants, depending on what is growing nearby..

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28 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)

You probably have no bees. Go on the internet and read how to hand pollinate pumpkin. Also read the postings here about hand pollination under pumpkin.

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04 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

When hand pollinating use a couple of male flowers - make sure they have some pollen on them.

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09 Dec 17, Cheryl (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

We have both jap and butternut pumpkins growing but seem to only have male flowers. Do we pull them out and start again. There is plenty of male flowers

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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

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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.

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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. ????

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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

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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.

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