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North Mississippi

My plants are full of female flowers with pea size pumpkins,but that seems to be as far as they are going.I have applied bloom booster to see if that will help.The males are coming along fine and opening to full bloom.I live in Mississippi where it is pretty hot right now.Is it just to hot? Any and all help would be appreciated.This is my first year and even if i don't get a pumpkin i have had a blast.Thanks

7/24/2002 10:48:51 PM

Mineral Virginia

Wow, I logged on with the intent of posting the same issue this morning. I'm wondering if I over did the 20-20-20 because my mains are thicker than the thick end of a pool stick. Leaves look great, applied bloom buster a week ago and a ton of males jumped out, but females rot at pea size. someone told me to be patient; BB would start to work soon.

7/25/2002 7:15:43 AM

North Mississippi

I fertilized on the 18th pretty heavy so that might be the problem.I didn't see any of the females until two days later.

7/25/2002 7:37:17 AM

Webster, NY

As I understand it, a few weeks before pollination, you hold off on the fertilizer, because too much nitrogen can cause fruit aborts. After fruit set, you pick up on the fertilizer again, then the middle of August, go with high potassium for weight. Early on I went with a 20-20-20, then the end of May to about the 3rd week in June, I did bloom buster. Now I'm back to half strength fertilizer and will go to potash in August.

Can anyone confirm or correct me????

7/25/2002 8:16:32 AM

Mineral Virginia

Based on what Dave said, then for me that is probably the issue. I haven't used any MG on the plants in the last few days so I think I'll just hold off and see what happens. Cripes. I suppose all that info is in the Books, but I couldn't find them locally and have been to lazy to order them off the Web.

7/25/2002 8:51:12 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Some of my earlier posts were about females not opening. I did have a nitrogen problem last year and may have contributed to slower vine growth because I made the plant beg for nitrogen. My females still wouldn't open and if they did never pollenated any they would whiten and curl right there. I have sent in a mid season soil sample just to check on the nitrogen levels, the only amendment recommended from the planting soil sample. If nitrogen is still the problem I am going to have to rethink my fertilizing program. I have change the soil greatly from last year with leaves and manure. the soil might not react the way I was used to. The second thought is it's been hot and when the females started opening the heat stopped pollenation. Will see what the tests show. I think steelydave has the right idea but fertilizers don't dictate what the plant wants to do they only aid when it decides its time to pollenate and when it wants to grow fruit. To much nitrogen might confuse it but eventually it has to throw fruit for survival of the species. Weather changes etc will force the plant to do something! I hope! will let ya know what I get from this soil test. Chuck

7/25/2002 1:54:01 PM

North Mississippi

Well maybe i panicked a little early.I know have a female about the size of your thumb.I have now beaten my personal best.(HA HA)That is legal isn't it,even though it hasn't polinated?Rookie,Rookie,Rookie.

7/26/2002 11:15:58 PM

Yreka, CA

I had one female that set (it's only a Big Max, so it's not really big) then I put lots of my delightful manure that I have bragged about elsewhere on this site. Since then, no females. So, I guess that I poisoned them with nitrogen from the manure? Argh! Just when you think you have done everything right! I hope the effects wear off soon!

Patience

8/1/2002 3:09:44 AM