From

Location

Message

Date Posted

San Diego

hi all,
while we were on vacation last week, I missed pollination time, and I don't have any female flowers left. Any thoughts on what I can do? I live in San Diego, and this is my first attempt at growing big pumpkins.
photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iHF9FXym8BzrudtR7
thanks,
Evan

6/30/2023 11:00:26 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Hey Evan,
If there are no females showing, you will have to wait for the vine to grow out. Maybe another will show up.

Your plants do not appear healthy. Are you keeping the soil damp, but not wet? Growing in a pot, of any kind, is a challenge even for an experienced grower. These giants aren't really pot friendly plants. they like to stretch out.

Have you given the plant any fertilizer and if so, what was it?

6/30/2023 11:33:41 PM

Syracuse, NY

I see a nice place for next year's patch beyond that pool.
With Giant Pumpkin-Growing, thankfully, there's always
Next Year. That's not saying that these are too far gone for anything, but it's likely. If even IIIII am not trying to sprout Atlantic Giants (AGs) any more this year, then it may be time to grow a Giant Field Pumpkin (FP) instead.
There are plenty of others with plants that are halfway to being pollinated already and mine are just getting started but I have high hopes for my one and only FP seed to do sorta good but I found out the hard weigh they do not sprout well when seeded directly (Direct-Seeded) into the native soil. In a 88-92-degree environment though, in 72 hours in Seed-Starting Mix, they are up and
at 'em.
From then-on, once 'grounded' they are really acting like they mean business -
so do the chipmunks and slugs, lol.
PS--- there are plenty of stories about having gotten tremendous AG pumpkins in shorter times than would be believed but that is probably when a plant is pretty far along and the POLLINATION gets accomplished late;
Fear not too much a pollination from mid-June to say July 10th,
for a loose-as-heck Atlantic Giant reference - eric g

7/1/2023 12:29:43 AM

Grittyville, WA

Well if you're serious about growing pumpkins then plant them in the ground and figure out how you want to water and fertilize them. You could still get a 200 lber by Halloween. But you're gonna have to stop thinking about females for about a month, you got some plant growth to think about first.

7/1/2023 12:50:19 AM

Syracuse, NY

Grrrrritty - I cannot stop thinking about...Oh, you mean...
Oh, I gotcha, lol! 'Listen, Baby - I got this plant growing at home and this one guy said I have to stop thi...';
I'm still cracking up from Ned's burn at me about 'incomplete pollination', lol.
I started it.
Anyway, BigE128, we're here to help and regardless your results, there are probably Sept. - Oct. weighoffs to be gone to where there are probably decent-sized, 300-600-pounders that can be had and marveled at once home and I've no idea how much they might cost there but it's VERY subjective and there's plenty of time to research it. I know that ANY year I've NOT taken one to a weighoff, there has been an opportunity to have sold several of said-weighted pumpkins.

If you send me an email at
pumpkinpal@msn.com
I can talk more at length but briefly for your sake, (already typed, lol) and
don't feel obligated to do so, please, and I do mean that, but, since you are here,
you are already in the right place.
No worries if you don't.
If in the next 45 minutes to an hour, though...Yee-Haaa!!! lol---eric g

7/1/2023 10:08:24 AM

San Diego

thank you

7/2/2023 11:23:48 AM

Torrance, Ca.

I would listen to Kevin and go from there. We try not to take vacations until things are running smoothly and plants are on cruise control.

Keep asking questions, this is how we learn.:)

7/2/2023 6:14:51 PM

Syracuse, NY

I was thinking I'd send you seeds on Saturday by noon, but that passed, from my 21 FP that has potentially great genetics and just needs a chance in anyone's patch and also one or two of my fastest-sprouting AG seeds and you could literally just stick them in the soil next to the others and then anything that the others got, well, you'd have a second chance at with ones that are right out of the seeds and whoop-tee-do if nothing came of it this year.
I'm coming across as a maniac but I myself may still start a few (more) FPs because ones I already did did not sprout in plain old dirt butt do great once done otherwise. I will not comment here anymore but you see my email so you can use it if you wish. I see that two other CA growers are on the case so you're inadvertently rounding the bases - So it's wait and see, try something new or hit the weighoffs to buy one or more at this point. I've gotten so much rain lately I cannot feasibly even fertilize my plants although I did insecticize (new word, lol) them and that went well. eric g

7/2/2023 10:39:27 PM

Syracuse, NY

Little Kins - I like your new town, Grittyville, WA, lol! eg

7/2/2023 10:43:12 PM

San Diego

can anyone send seed for next year?
any will do
address is 10612 Amberglades Ln

7/23/2023 2:52:29 PM

Syracuse, NY

pumpkinpal@msn.com

...your complete address, even though I could figure it out, lol.
I can send you my 178 which is crankin' right along in 2 places here and my 940.6 is also doing very well.
Seed X, OMG, lol---eric g

7/23/2023 7:57:59 PM

San Diego

10612 Amberglades Ln san diego CA

7/23/2023 8:44:52 PM

San Diego

yes thank you

7/23/2023 8:45:17 PM

Syracuse, NY

Adding another one to the list - My 367.5 from like 2017;
(352 Gerry '05 X 2145 McMullen); Seems to be an Irish cross of sorts, so, must be good! Sure is aggressive and is keeping up to noteworthy others. eg

7/30/2023 12:49:55 AM

Syracuse, NY

BigE128 - Please provide me your last name at my email address, not here if you don't want to - I just don't feel great about sending to just 'Evan';
Minor, but it'll help me--eric g

8/2/2023 12:42:13 AM

Syracuse, NY

I sent them probably Wednesday - Good Luck!
You won't need very much with MY seeds, lol---eg

8/5/2023 10:59:00 AM

San Diego

Greenfield

8/5/2023 12:48:12 PM

Syracuse, NY

Hey, EG! eg

8/5/2023 5:19:36 PM