Pumpkin Problems

I lately had my sister in-law over for a go to from the opposite aspect of the state. As standard we talked gardening. She was enumerating the crops she was going to develop, amongst them pumpkins.

Rising Pumpkins

Now pumpkins are tremendous enjoyable to develop. They carry out the child in even the oldest, stodgiest particular person however they’re liable to issues. My sister in-law has been rising them for years — properly the vines at the very least. Appears she at all times has wholesome crops that bloom however by no means set fruit.

Even so, she desires to strive yet another time. So we went over the entire doable reasons that a pumpkin will flower but not set fruit.

Pollination Downside

Pumpkins have each female and male blooms with the male flowers showing early, usually a pair weeks earlier than the feminine blooms. If the climate is overly scorching and humid early within the season, the females might not seem till a lot later, which could be a drawback.

On this case, my SIL lives close to the coast so it by no means will get highly regarded or humid which, in itself, could be a drawback. The climate at her home is delicate however by no means actually scorching. Bees could be a bit lazy when temps hover round 60 F (15 C), so perhaps the difficulty is pollination associated.

As a result of she has wholesome crops I steered she strive hand pollinating. It’s fairly simple to do with a fragile, small brush or perhaps a cotton swab.

I’m hoping this solves her drawback as a result of I would like to get my palms on a few of these pumpkins on her subsequent go to within the fall!