paysonpumpkinpeople@cox.net
7/21/2019 10:56 PM
Well, that was an interesting day!
Houston, we have pollination! The first female flower was hand pollinated this morning, on plant #3. Here’s a photo of the process.
There are many males on that plant, but this is the first female, and just 10 feet out from the base, on the main stem.
More females will now be showing up, we’ll pollinate them all, then pick the best fruit in the next couple of weeks. After that, we’ll take off any new fruits that show up.
No flowers on plant #2.
This pollination is about 10 days later than last year, but we think with our superior soil and techniques, we’ll make up for it with fruit growth in the 2.5 months ahead.
We should see the fruit forming and taking off, in about two days.
It’s interesting that we’ve been kind of ignoring plant #3, and giving most of our attention to plant #2. Maybe a lesson there!
And recall that we’ve often listed the hazards of growing pumpkins out at Flowing Springs: Rodents, deer, elk, wiener dogs, diseases, sun burn, cold springs, hot summers, rains, spring water issues, bobcats, rabbits, etc.
Joanne reports a new hazard from two nights ago, when she heard it attacking an apple tree outside of her bedroom window. See the photo.
She reports that these animals are common in the Flowing Springs area.
And photo number three shows another hazard that appeared this week. Oh boy.
7/24/20191:33 PM
Three days after pollination (DAP), right on schedule.
7/27/2019 9:55 PM
These little pumpkins are popping up everywhere on plant 3, and we have so many bees doing the pollination, I have to wait my turn before doing a manual pollination!
The pink flags mark the fruit, on plant3.
On plant2? -- not a blossom, very weird, as it occupies the best soil of the patch.
7/28/2019 11:13 PMT
OK, we give up! Goodbye soaker hoses, hello overhead spraying.
The soakers are done, after find two more split this morning… to much inconsistency, to many leaks -- good bye!
One of our mentors has been pushing the overheads for the last two years -- ok, you win Alan!
In other news: A third pumpkin has pollinated on plant #3, while still not a blossom on #2 (and recall that plant #1 left the patch a week ago).
Jenny’s research indicates #2 has too high nitrogen, with the solution an application (lightly) of lime to lower that N down. We’ll apply that tomorrow, and see what happens.
So with three fruits on the vine of #3, we’ll concentrate on those girls. One fruit is just off the main base, and will come off very soon, leaving two good pumpkins ready to explode.
Tons of male blossoms, thousands of bees around the patch, three fruits on the vine, cooler weather forecast this week (in the 80s) with monsoon weather returning – looks perfect to grow a giant!
Steve
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