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Garden State Pumpkins

Alright I know you guys love newbie questions so here it is!Jeff352 of the dyanmic duo grew a big un with no seeds. When he asked the question about that I believe the general consensus was poor pollenation or genetics or sterile pollen. My question is if they have seeds inside was there pollenation and the pumpkin aborted for another reason. Lot's of heat right now and no misting system...even sloopy gave up the ghost today! both were loaded with seeds. any thoughts would help are these pollenated and spontaneously aborting for a different reason? Bonkers in berkeley heights!

8/2/2002 6:00:23 PM

Ga.

Was givin an explantation today by a fellow grower..I accept it ,,as I had often thought about it..Heres what he had to say,,"When it comes to pollination and AG's, they are pretty picky. We have trouble enough getting good fruit set with pollen from AG's, let alone another species. I believe the pollen from the marrow was sufficient to stimulate the growth process, however it wasnt good enough for seed production. Looks like the bees beat you to the punch on this one."....I cannot argue on this one...Seems logical to me....Jeff

8/2/2002 8:00:03 PM

Sask, Canada

Not exactly so Jeff, growth in any living organism constitutes pollination/conseption. If it was not pollinated it will not grow, period.

Yes a female bud will grow for sometime if it was not pollinated before it aborts and this depends on the genetics of the plant as to the size of the bud. To further bring fact to this, remove the stigma (flower and all) of a female(carefully), the bud (future pumpkin) grows based upon the genes of the plant. But however due to the removal of the stigma can in no way be pollinated and once it reaches it's full size, again based on gentics aborts as no pollination took place.

As well based on the number of ovary's in a female (pumpkin plant) some may not be fertilized and that is why you will get fruit growing only on one side of the pumpkin.

There-for your comments "I believe the pollen from the marrow was sufficient to stimulate the growth process, however it wasnt good enough for seed production" is false as I just descibed, If it grew it was pollinated if it did not produce seed it was sterile and would not be able to produce offspring/seeds.

An easy way to look at it is like a human with all the possible problems. Some women can't have children because they don't produce eggs just like some men can't father a child because they don't produce sperm yet they were conseived and grew, it was just genetics.

So to answer alexsdad, Yes it is genetics and yes if there is seed in side it was pollinated as non pollinated things can not reproduce.

Hoped this helped
TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

8/2/2002 9:27:24 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Alright, so the pollenation is occuring...that's a step in the right direction....I guess I shoulda waited for the soil tests...the nitrogen then is my guess for the quick aborts...within a week of me blasting the plant...I see some more posts on the 625 not setting fruit maybe just not the plant for a newbie! starts flat, doubles and impossible to set fruit...I ain't giving up yet! if it sets in october I'm going with it!

8/3/2002 10:14:38 AM

Long Island,New York

As for jeff's situation I throw this out to the crowd....
we all know there were no seeds. We all see the picture of the underneath of his fruit...all scrunched up like the blossom end wouldn't stretch out with the pumpkin growth. most of us know he was fighting a blossom end rot problem all year long. I propose, what seems to me at least, to be the obvious.....the rot caused a growth problem with the blossom end and parts associated with it influencing the seed developement/path etc. This rot, although stopped, probably ruined the growth of thetubes or core of the fruit.I would further summize that when the seeds were....terminated....for lack of a better word, they had already started developement....his size and growth measurements were in line and actually better than Pappy's in the first 30 days then almost stopped...drastic slowdown.At this point the fruit stopped elongating and grew over a bit at the blossom end and the shoulders. I think his slowdown, the shortening of the fruit, and lack of mature seed is all related to the rot and its effects on the seed developement...like the strings to the seeds were disconnected/shut off. Thats my theory...always interested in opinions..........G

8/3/2002 11:19:47 AM

Sask, Canada

No you got it right G. Other than genetics causing the fruit not to produce seed, damage to the fruit as you mentioned it "blossom end rot" if severe can cause production of seed to be minimal or none at all.

Just like a womans female parts ovary, falopein tubes etc... if it is damaged by a disease the results can be the hardship in producing eggs or not producing any (basically becoming sterile)

I am having the exact same problem with some tomatoes this year fighting blossom end rot on about four plants, one tomato I opened to see the extent of the damage (the depth) and noticed no seed yet the tomato was ripe however be it premature. I will have to look further into it but I believe that "blossom end rot" in what ever veggie or fruit causes premature enzymatic digestion of the cell walls and with this the fruit ripens early.

TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

8/3/2002 9:13:00 PM

Ohio

test

11/24/2014 10:28:37 AM