Kitchen Garden Forum

Out of my 2 plants have had lots of male flowers but just one tiny immature fruit has been there for over a week and the flower just wont open up ! Should I open the flower to pollinate it before it dies off? Or would this harm the plant. I dont want to lose this female bit as this is my only one there. I read the rest of the posts - Lizzie - have you got anything yet?

One of mine stopped growing and looked pathetic so I've taken it off the vine to channel the energy to the good one which is starting to look BIG!

Hi Freckleston

I've got a pumpkin forming now. I only had female flowers up until the other day so all is well.

The ones in the greenhouse are coming on great. I thought it was a cucumber plant when I planted it in there but I have green and yellow stripe squash all over the place now. Wonder what type they are? It doesn't matter, i'll eat it anyway!!!

Freckleston wrote:Out of my 2 plants have had lots of male flowers but just one tiny immature fruit has been there for over a week and the flower just wont open up ! Should I open the flower to pollinate it before it dies off? Or would this harm the plant. I dont want to lose this female bit as this is my only one there. I read the rest of the posts - Lizzie - have you got anything yet?

hi,dont worry about the female not openning she'll open when she's good and ready.this cooler weather we're going to get will help them along.basically the female flower will only open when she's good and ready,trying to force it to early will do no good at all.if you can imagine your first date, and your not ready for anything too heavy you would'nt tolerate being forced .be patient the males will follow once she opens up.good luck peter.

thanks - it is still tightly closed (perhaps I should get her drunk - she might open up a little). I will just leave them to it now and hope for something to happen.

Water it with Lambrini and see if that helps Freckleston!

lizzie wrote:Water it with Lambrini and see if that helps Freckleston!

nice one lizzie i like

Cheers Peter, I do come out with some gems occasionally, not often, just now and again

I know I'm mad but never mind.
Been recording circumference of biggest Pumpkin. Got the old maths books out and converted it to a volume then a weight at density of water. Culled a small one that was near a big one and calculated the weight of that to compare with actual weight, came out that it should just float and it did. So it looks like it's up to over 17lbs today.
..........................24/7/06..27/7/06..30/7/06..3/8/06
Circumference ins__19.7____23.2____27.4____32.0
Weight in lbs______4.1_____6.7_____11.1____17.7
That was a bugger to make look right, hope you can follow it.

Geoff - I worry about you....

I think the little tiny pumpkin and un-opened bud is giving up. It has turned a sick colour and the bud is going brown on top. I can see a few more teeny weeny ball shapes on the ends of some tendrils but these will end up on my lawn if I let it grow that far! Im wondering if I should have tended to the plant when it was smaller. I never do 'pricking out' of any plants as Ive never understood exactly what to do.

I meant 'pinching out' !

Thanks for your concern Tigger - probably started when I got married in Shropshire (Morville) in 1972.

My pumpkin looked like this last night and is now about 12" in diameter; I'll take my tape with me today for accurate measurements.

Freckleston wrote:I think the little tiny pumpkin and un-opened bud is giving up. It has turned a sick colour and the bud is going brown on top. I can see a few more teeny weeny ball shapes on the ends of some tendrils but these will end up on my lawn if I let it grow that far! Im wondering if I should have tended to the plant when it was smaller. I never do 'pricking out' of any plants as Ive never understood exactly what to do.

the fruit you mention sounds like its aborted.not to worry pick another vine with a fruit and treat that as your main,theres plenty of time yet.regards vines going onto your lawn,you need to pinch the tips of these out and bury the ends (prevents water loss)that way you can keep everything under control peter