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Ellendale, MN

Have pollinated 3-4 flowers on the main vines of 4 plants. Looks like most of them have taken, but about 30% of the flowers had some deformed lobes. Should those kins be OK or should I avoid keeping them?

7/14/2015 10:54:37 PM

valparaiso, in

If you have better ones with regular lobes pollinated I would go with those. My understanding is that if the lobes aren't uniform then the pumpkin won't be uniform, and the pumpkin is at a greater risk of splitting.

But if not I am more of a beggar can't be a chooser type of guy. More informed people will show up shortly to answer your question better than I can.

7/14/2015 11:36:01 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I don't know the science or statistics around it but lobes that are not symmetrical have always been a disaster for me.

7/15/2015 12:19:26 AM

I am glad someone is talking about this issue because I have noticed some of my females had perfect looking lobes while others had one or more deformed. My first fruit this year was on a female that looked great, but the pumpkin began a really crazy deformed growth pattern following a long soaking rain and a string of cool weather. Thanks for bringing this up and I will avoid pollinating females with deformities in the future.

7/18/2015 8:03:59 AM