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Ct

Is it common to not have any fruits yet? I have had plenty of females although first 3 pollination attempts failed. I have one small fruit that I pollinated last week, the size of a tennis ball.

7/28/2008 9:58:57 AM

Colorado Springs.Co

I'm on my fifth pollination 7/22, I've also had abort problems. It's been hot and extremly dry here. I've been shading this one a little better and leaving a gallon milk container of ice next to it. Its 13" on day 5. I'd just try to keep it cool and keep your soil nice and moist. Also forget ferts for awhile.

7/28/2008 11:24:15 AM

Ct

I have been fertilizing quite a bit. Super phosphate two weeks ago, miracle grow twice weekly and fish/seaweed twice weekly. I'll hold off for a bit and see what happens

7/28/2008 11:27:36 AM

Dillsburg, PA

IMO you need to stop fertilizing. Did you apply any manure in the Fall/Spring?

7/28/2008 11:29:26 AM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Yeah, stop all fertilizing a week or two before pollination. If you want to fertilize, some P (like you did) but make sure no N, that will cause aborts.

Shade pumpkin, put a fan on it, ice bottles, etc.

7/28/2008 12:32:02 PM

Ct

Jeff - I applied organic humus/compost mix around each plant in the spring. This plot is brand new ground. There was existing brush and scrub that I cut down, ripped out and then tilled with a rototiller.

7/28/2008 1:04:39 PM

Ct

Just curious, at what point do you begin fertilizing again - meaning, is there a certain size fruit where you know it has passed it's window to abort?

7/28/2008 1:07:58 PM

Washington

We don't fertilize at all during the growing season. We have our soil ready in the fall. Only amendments we make are for problems, pests, etc. We found that after the pumpkins get growing if we fertilize it pushes them and they explode.

7/28/2008 1:53:49 PM

Dillsburg, PA

I only fert very lightly about 2 weeks after pollination weekly.

7/28/2008 6:19:57 PM

Ct

So I should stop fertilizing for the rest of the growing season? What about the other plants that have no fruits?

7/29/2008 8:13:06 AM