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Fraser Valley, BC, Canada

So I have two pumpkins that have pollinated. One is 5 DAP, the other 3 DAP. The 5 the flower got wet when it down poured rain for maybe half an hour, and I noticed the flower basically dying so I decided to take it off as I worried about rot. Well the female lobes inside were soooo soft but not rotten don’t think. Anyhow I accidentally broke some and noticed minting else was soft just those. Does that mean I’m safe? I’ve seen photos of lots of diary’s with them off, some on... so not sure what’s best. Maybe it got soft because it being my fault I didn’t remove the flower after I knew it pollinated and started growing?

I have another that’s going to bloom in the morning I can tell, and another that should bloom Monday but might bloom tomorrow too. How in the world do I decide which to keep lol... must be so painful to choose sometimes esp later if you realize you chose the wrong one! Argh this is going to be tough.

7/26/2020 12:39:23 AM

Grittyville, WA

They heal pretty well if broken off before 10 DAP. Leaving on shouldnt hurt either as long as there is not rot and you can hopefully keep it dry in the future. As for choosing a keeper... yes it can be a challenge. Most plants will choose for you, eventually, if you dither too long.

7/26/2020 2:08:44 AM

Fraser Valley, BC, Canada

How can you tell the difference between the lines just being soft and easily knocked off vs them starting to rot? Does everyone wait for the flower to fall off by itself even if wet or do people like on day 3 pull the flower off to keep the moisture off the lines to prevent rot etc.

7/26/2020 3:47:06 PM

Fraser Valley, BC, Canada

Not LINES supposed to be lobes, argh. Auto correct lol.

7/26/2020 3:49:07 PM

Lakewood, WA

I pulled the flower pedals off around DAP 3 or 4 and left the center part of the flower attached. The center bit is supposed to be a bit soft and spongy at this stage of the game.

If it's rotting, it will oftentimes get this weird, white, raised texturized coating of grossness that is enough to gag you with a spoon, lol! If you don't see anything like that, you are probably fine.

Good luck, Twins!

7/26/2020 4:31:45 PM

Fraser Valley, BC, Canada

Ok yeah just a bit of blackness on the edges and very soft and bendable, nothing gross.

7/26/2020 7:37:19 PM

Did you remove most of the flower after the end of the pollination day or the next day. On the one you pollinated Sunday by the end of Monday you should gently remove flower down to about 1 inch from pumpkin. This is to allow air to get to nub and the rotting flower won't start the nub to rot. The pollination is usually complete by end of DOP and definitely by end of day 1 if it is going to be successful.

7/27/2020 4:59:53 AM

Grittyville, WA

The remnant stigma should be somewhat firm... if its too rubbery pollination probably didnt happen. I think pulling the petals off about 2 days after pollination should prevent cross contamination the flower should only be fertile for about 24 hours.

7/27/2020 2:07:45 PM

Fraser Valley, BC, Canada

Yeah that is what i didnt do, i left the flower there for what 4 days or something lol. I always thought we were not supposed to touch it. So then it rained and the flower sagged wet around the stigma hence why it was so so soggy. I got freaked out a bit that it was rotten but i think i got to it in time. I promptly then removed the flower from the other 2 DAP, and it was only a tad soft so that one is fully intact still, and now firm.

7/27/2020 4:23:34 PM

North Of The Border

I always remove the petals, when I pollinate, because I cover the flower with a cup, so the are not needed to keep out bees. Normally, I'll remember to remove the lobes, but not the inner part that they attach to, not sure of the actual name, by 1-2 dap. Last year and 2 years ago, I didn't hand pollinate, and just left it to the bees, and didn't take the petals off period. They fell off on their own, and id dint have any trouble with it.

Wether or not to remove the "female parts" as you call them, depends on your approach to growing. Personally, i do, b3cause they tend to get kind of mushy, but if you are just trying to grow for a small competition or to carve on your porch, it may not be necessary, because you will be able to jave multiple per plant, and not need to be worried about a specific one surviving. The flower part can rot, in theory, causing the fruit to rot. It hasn't happened to me, as I live in a fairly dry climate normally, but it could happen.

7/28/2020 7:03:30 AM

Fraser Valley, BC, Canada

Thanks grower. Yeah I do not live in dry climate. It will be dry enough for the next month or so, but typically sept can bring rain storms and the odd bad wind storm too. Since this is my first time growing pumpkins I’m not aiming for the big prize one per say, but large enough to do a really cool carving for halllowen. (I’m a hobby sculpter but never tried on a pumpkin and would like to. The grocery store ones never have thick enough walls for me). I’d be happy with one that’s biggest (for me) and three the size of some 25-30day pollination ones I’ve seen, no bigger than my arm circumference. I got three pollinated, waiting for a 4th... been really hot lately so might be a late one.

7/28/2020 9:55:46 PM