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This is the first year I've attempted growing pumpkins. The vine is wonderfully long, full of big green leaves, and lots of huge yellow flowers are blooming. But, soon after the blooms close, they come off. I don't mean they wither off...the stem looks as though someone just came and lopped off the bloom with shears. I have this same problem with squash and zucch in my garden, although I have been able to grow cukes without this happening. I've tried to set out beer for slugs, but haven't caught any...what would the problem likely be??
thanks :-)

8/23/2002 8:16:48 PM

Commack, NY

im not trying to be funny, but can you tell the difference between the male flowers and the female flowers? the male's have long stems, and the females have short ones with little pumpkins underneath the flower

8/23/2002 8:30:27 PM

Yreka, CA

I'm sure that Scott is probably on to your "problem," which is not really a problem at all. Male flowers come first, and they show up at the end of long, skinny, stalks. They only last for one day, and then they wither and drop off, leaving the stalk sticking up. The females will begin to grow after a while, and they will usually be much closer to the vine, and they have a little "ball" under the blossom. This little ball is the baby pumpkin, which will develop if it is pollinated, and nothing else goes wrong. Also, females have a little, roughly circular, group of bulbous-looking things in the middle, whereas the males have a single protrusion that, if you see it before the bees get to it, will be covered with pollen. This is my first year too. See all the great stuff I have learned from these guys?! I hope that you get to grow lots of them! Patience

8/23/2002 8:44:17 PM

i'm thinking that you guys are right!! I didn't know how to tell the difference, actually!!! So, it's not too late for female flowers to appear?? I just went and looked (with a flashlight as it is already dark here, LOL)and none of the blooms looks to be female. So, hopefully there will still be some males around when the females finally appear? I sure hope so? Anything i can do to encourage the female blooms?

Sorry I have so many ???'s
Thanks for your speedy replies!
peace :-)

8/23/2002 9:03:50 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

If the plant is throwing that many males then the females aren't far behind. Take a look at the tips of the vine ends if you see a flower with a pea size ball on it that's it. The pea can be green or yellow!

8/23/2002 11:50:47 PM

Hi Mommymeg, this is my first year too and I had the same problem. Thanks to our friends in this forum, I watched and waited for my girls. I also hoped to hand pollinate and I didn't get to the girl when she opened up! I returned to the forum again and they said that maybe the bees did it for me and, once again, they were right! I didn't know it at first but now, there's a pumpkin growing. So wait for the girls to arrive- they just will on their own- and let the bees do it or do it on your own! This only happened to me days ago so don't worry...it's not too late! Good luck! =)

8/24/2002 4:19:20 PM