Pumpkin Pollination Query

**womble** · 07-05-2010, 10:09 AM

Bees will do the job, but I have found it's better to do the first flowers by hand....well brush.

**rustylady** · 07-05-2010, 10:23 AM

Pumpkins are the same as all squashes & cucurbits - the plants carry male and female flowers. The female flowers have a tiny fruit behind them, and usually need to be pollinated by a male flower.

**Jimmy** · 07-05-2010, 11:18 AM

Apparently , or so I am told , it's "The Great Pumpkin" that pollinates them all.

See
The Great Pumpkin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jimmy

**ginger ninger** · 07-05-2010, 11:33 AM

I some time's pick the male flower off and tickle it on the lady flower (pumpkin sex) just for the few first flowers, but the bee's and other insect's will do the job just as well.

**northepaul** · 07-05-2010, 12:44 PM

OK thanks - Only two flowers open yet, they (I am guessing) appear to be male...not that I'm looking mind (

)
Seems quite happy outside at the moment, though with the threat of rain I have not seen any bees about.
Thanks all

**Flummery** · 07-05-2010, 01:37 PM

You usually get only male flowers for quite a while. In fact, you can despair of ever getting females, but, as females do, they all come along at once (but don't dance round their handbags in this instance).

**northepaul** · 07-05-2010, 02:34 PM

Originally posted by Flummery View Post

You usually get only male flowers for quite a while. In fact, you can despair of ever getting females, but, as females do, they all come along at once (but don't dance round their handbags in this instance).

Oh thats interesting, thanks Flum

**Jeanied** · 07-05-2010, 07:30 PM

What a chuckle making image, Flum - dance of the pumpkins!

**mattyod** · 07-05-2010, 09:27 PM

the flower that has a big swelling at the bottom of it is the female.
you can rip the males of once opened and just rub the male flower on the female, that should so the job, if you don't fancy doing that, just let the bee's do the job

hope this helps

**gojiberry** · 09-05-2010, 02:47 PM

Don't know if anyone else does the same but I take male flowers of at the start of the season to encourage the females to come along. Seems to work for me as I don't usually have to wait long for the females.

Ian

**northepaul** · 09-05-2010, 04:52 PM

Originally posted by mattyod View Post

the flower that has a big swelling at the bottom of it is the female.
you can rip the males of once opened and just rub the male flower on the female, that should so the job, if you don't fancy doing that, just let the bee's do the job

hope this helps

Originally posted by gojiberry View Post

Don't know if anyone else does the same but I take male flowers of at the start of the season to encourage the females to come along. Seems to work for me as I don't usually have to wait long for the females.

Ian

Hmm thats food for thought

It seems to be opening one flower at a time at the moment, so will it open all the males first and then a female? Otherwise the males may have finished before the female comes along...(decides not to make a crude comment...

)

**Flummery** · 10-05-2010, 10:04 AM

Originally posted by northepaul View Post

Hmm thats food for thought

It seems to be opening one flower at a time at the moment, so will it open all the males first and then a female? Otherwise the males may have finished before the female comes along...(decides not to make a crude comment...

)

It will get going eventually - it's still early in the year! - and you'll get both out at once.

**womble** · 10-05-2010, 10:14 AM

I think it's a good idea to have two of the same squash planted next to each other, so that you have a better chance of male and female flowers being around at the same time.

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