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Tipp City, Ohio

1. After pollenation how long does the female flower need to be kept covered?

2. What do you all use to cover the flowers before and after pollenation?

3. If the flower is cover, but for some reason a cuke beetle managed to enter the flower area, is this pumpkin then considered "open" pollenated?

Thanks....Tom

7/23/2003 9:38:22 PM

Manchester, N.h.

I don't cover my flower after pollination unless it's raining. The flowers close all by themselves. Maybe i'm wronge and I'm sure if I am someone will let me know:)
I cover the flower (with a zip lock baggy) the night before the flower opens that way I know that no bees will pollinate before I do. I think open pollination means other insects pollinating (not you)......Flora

7/23/2003 10:10:15 PM

Connecicut , No. Stonington

i usually tie the flower shut with a piece of string losly...i dont even take it off i just let it fall off with the flower. like flora i use a plastic baggie... it seems to work well. As for your last question i am not sure, i would say it was self polinated but keep in mind i have never actually grown a giant pumpkin before and am quite new at it. hope i helped!

7/23/2003 10:22:06 PM

correction joey...it would be open pollinated, not self. but anywho...i use a piece of yarn to tie the females shut, or i tie a chunk of mesh netting around it with a piece of yarn ( the stuff they use under formal dresses to make them poof out). real cheap at a fabric store.

7/23/2003 11:01:25 PM

Montoursville, PA

...Wish someone would tell me if once polinated it's done and can not be altered by introducing different pollen. If this is true and you beat the insects to the job in the AM is there any reason to cover and tie up at all?

...If you can not or do not do pollinating in the early crack of dawn hours then the males would need to be tied up also to avoid piggy back pollen mixes from where ever.

...Nary an insect stirrs in my patch until seven thirty or eight oclock in the morning. I tie them both up but wonder if it is necessary if you beat the bees at their own game.

7/23/2003 11:34:47 PM

Key West, FL

If you dont tie them up afterwards the pollen can get stolen or contaminated with other pollen and the cross should be considered open pollinated.

7/23/2003 11:46:29 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

I used pantyhose and plastic baggies with small holes for breathing. What I noticed was the flowers with the pantyhose stayed on longer than the baggie. The baggie turned to mush, and I am wondering if the flower heated up too much and will abort?

ltg,
To make sure the seeds are the crosses that you desire, the flowers should be covered/tied before and after. I have seen bees crawl out of flowers that have closed.

7/23/2003 11:55:34 PM

Manchester, N.h.

I never covered or shut the flower closed after pollination.........After reading this i'm gonna. All of you make a good point about covering up before and after pollinating. I only covered before pollinating that way I could have the first crack at it before the other insects. Didn't think they could possibly do any harm afterwards.....Flora

7/24/2003 7:47:59 AM

I found the bees can bee rather fast. I was in the patch the other morning waiting for a blossom to open. It had opened a little and I was doing some weeding while waiting. The blossom was only open a little bit. I checked a few minutes later and thre was a bee inside. The opening was barely large enough for the bee to fit in.

7/24/2003 8:49:46 PM