My first-grader brought home a pumpkin plant in a plastic cup, grown from a seed as part of a science unit on plants. She was very anxious to put her plant in the ground and grow a pumpkin, so we found a spot in the backyard, dug a hole, and plopped it in. It’s doing fine so far.
But the little bit of reading I’ve done (on a University of Illinois “Vegetable Garden Basics” site) suggests that our lonely pumpkin plant may run into trouble when it comes time to produce fruit.
“The first flowers are almost always male. The pollen on these first male flowers attracts bees and alerts them to the location of the blooming vines. By the time the first female blossoms open, the bees’ route is well established and the male flowers’ pollen is transferred to the female flowers by the bees. Male flowers bloom for one day, then drop off the plants. The male flowers may predominate under certain conditions, especially early in the season, or under certain kinds of stress. The small fruits, visible at the bases of the female flowers, identify them. There is no swelling on the bases of the male flower stems.”
So, gardeners and botanists–help! Should I look for male flowers, save them or save their pollen, and then pollinate a female flower myself? Can a plant pollinate itself in this way? How does one save pollen–will it stay viable in a baggie or an envelope? We have no other cucurbits (see? I’ve been doing my homework!) in the garden for cross-pollination.
The male flowers start blooming first, but they don’t all bloom on the same day. By the time you get a female flower, male flowers should still be showing up, sometimes more than one per day. They can self-pollinate. Or you could go get a few more plants at the nursery, if you can find them. Cucurbits are notorious for not transplanting well due to their sensitive roots (so you’ve made it over the first hurdle!). The tricky part is this - there are four different species of squash/pumpkin, and you can’t really tell them apart by looking. (The differences are seen in the leaves & vines, not the fruits.) Even pumpkins are not all the same species, and some are actually the same species as zucchini & yellow crookneck, though you’d never guess by looking. Only the same species will pollinate it. (You know, I could be wrong about that - if I can I’ll try to research tomorrow & double check - it may be that certain ones can cross with other species and still produce a fruit but either seedless or with sterile seeds. But I presume you’re ok with that in your situation, as long as you get a pumpkin, right?)
If you don’t have bees you can hand-pollinate - this is really easy with squashes because they have big sturdy flowers. You remove the male flower from the plant, remove its petals, then swab the pollen directly onto the stamen of the female flower. You’ll increase the probability of fertilization if you use more than one male flower. (If you’re trying to save seeds to grow again next year, it’s much more complicated because you have to prevent accidental cross-pollination, but this method should work to get you a pumpkin.)
Then it takes lots of patience. Pumpkins are a large fruit, so it takes time for the little flower to grow into that big fruit. Months. I grew my first ones last year and I thought they’d never get big enough, then I thought they’d never mature! But they came out very nice. I guess that will be a good lesson for your daughter, but it may be difficult. Just preparing you;)
If you get into the gardening thing, I highly recommend the forum idigmygarden.com - lots of nice knowledgeable people there.
Lily Milliner, I hope you have good luck with your pumpkin plant. I try to grow them, but every single year for the past five, even with several plants and planting in different spots, we get male flowers and only male flowers. sigh.
One plant can produce pumpkins. I would hand pollinate if you don’t plant more. You can still plant seeds directly in the ground so buy a pack of seeds and plant them now so pollination and accidental damage doesn’t disappoint your daughter. The plants will be growing within two week of planting.
Pollinating by hand requires a male and a female flower to open that same morning. You have to pollinate in the morning before the flowers close in the middle of the day. Pick the opened male flower. Peel of the fleshy flower exposing the pollen on the stamen. Contact the pollen laden stamen all over the end of the pistol to which pollen will adhere readily. The female flower always has a round little ball of flesh at it’s base which is the fruit waiting for fertilization. This will fall of within two weeks if the female flower failed to be fertilized. The fruit aborts.
After the pumpkin starts to enlarge you can try to position the pumpkin so when it grows it doesn’t grow lopsided.
Pick a medium pumpkin for the seeds and not a giant variety. Your daughter will be happier with the results.
You might like to try some ornamental gourd plants too. They grow easily and kids love the different shapes and colors.
<gah> :smack: I feel like an idiot - female flowers don’t have stamens any more than female animals have testes! I really do know my flower parts, but apparently got confused as it was late at night. Thanks Harmonious for getting the terminology right…
I agree, gourds are fun, plus they take up less space (well the smaller ones) because you can trellis them instead of having them sprawl all over the yard.