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Northport, Ontario, Canada

Hi guys and girls this is my first post here at bp im a relative rookie to the sport considering ive been trying to grow atlantic giants for about 5 years now! My neighbor john is letting me grow in his patch this year which is making all the difference in the world (thanks John) anyways im doing my own pollination for the first time this morning. I went out at around 7am saw my first female flower was open. I plucked one of Johns male flowers off and proceeded to pollinate my female. John told me to expect a 4 or 5 lobe female but it looks like a 6 lober to me. I guess the question is is it destined to abort is it a mutant of some kind? Or could this be a good thing? Anyways hoping i dont have to get rid of my first real hand pollination but it is only about 10 feet out on the main also which is see is not great either. Anyways any heads up would be appreciated.

6/25/2005 8:46:04 AM

Long Island,New York

My experience is the first female to open is most likely going to be one of the largest (lobe-wise numbers) that the plant will do all summer. Thats where I usually get the 6-7 or 8 lobers if I get them. Six lobers are relatively common, a neato-celebration thing more than a mutation quandry. Number of lobes is the next celebratory event in this hobby this time of year as we move from marvelling at the 10-12 inches per day vine growth and before we brag about our 10 day circumferences. Six is cool....but not likely better or worse than 5 or 4.

6/25/2005 9:05:23 AM

Farmington, Utah

Bubba, a six lober is not a mutant. they are not as common as 4 or 5 lobers. it has as good of chance as not aborting as the others. 10 feet out is a good distance from the stump. good luck

6/25/2005 9:07:13 AM

Northport, Ontario, Canada

Thanks for info guys makes me feel better knowing its got a good chance of survival providing I pollinated correctly btw should I have used more then one male to try to get a positive pollination or should one do it? I have tied the female off with an elastic so I guess i could open it if I needed to use more males.
Bub

6/25/2005 9:17:44 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

No need to tie it off if it was already open when you got there..leave it open and let the bees finish it off.

6/25/2005 10:18:13 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Bubba
Welcome to BP.com. One flower should do it, but I like to use as many flowers from the same plant as I can. Usually about 3-4 flowers. By the way, where is Northport?

Phil

6/27/2005 6:13:19 AM