Squash and pumpkin is sub type of squash are insect pollinated. Hand pollination may be required. It is easy to do. Just pinch off a male blossom early in the morning, remove the petals, and rub the anther on the stigma of an open female. Squash are morning plants and only open open for a couple of hours so get up early. Of course if find the blossoms full of bees in the morning they are doing the work for you. Bumble and carpenter bees are especially good at it, but any of several species of smaller bees will do the job.

Yeah, but my problem is I can't get any females to live long enough to open :) They start to develop, I see the baby pumpkin ball swell up, then shortly before it looks like the flower is about to open, the baby pumpkin shrivels up and turns yellow/brown, and dies.

I have yet to have a single female flower open. I've had a bunch, at least 6-7 develop, get on the large side, and then abort/shrivel/die before ever opening.

This post was edited by Pd0xGard_ on Mon, Jun 30, 14 at 16:19

That is a bit odd. Your plant looks healthy. What have you done so far as far as fertilizer goes?

If they are dropping before even opening then it is called Blossom Drop.and has several possible causes - air temps above 95 day and/or 75 night plus humidity is one, excess nitrogen fertilizer is the other most common cause. Dry windy conditions is another when coupled with high temps and low humidity.

But if none of those issues ring a bell then I'll add that one common mistake some new growers make with squash is not understanding that the female bloom is only open for a very brief time very early in the AM just after sunrise. She doesn't hang around all day like the males do.

If it isn't pollinated then - either by hand or by insects - it quickly closes, shrivels, and dies. So your female blooms may have already opened and closed to die before you see them.

So if you can get out there just after dawn you may see them open and pollinate them.

Dave

That is actually 4 or maybe 5 plants, I forgot how many I transplanted from the compost pile. I have spread a few handfuls of a 2-7-4 fert around once or twice. They're definitely not opening and closing before I see them, it's usually too small and tightly packed for that. Also, don't they usually turn yellowish right before they open? That hasn't happened yet, well it did once, but that was after the baby had already started to shrivel/wrinkle/die off.

If it's blossom drop, not sure what I did wrong. I planted them late April from the compost pile, and it's been pretty normal (not extreme) conditions for spring/summer. Only thing I can think of is watering. I have a soaker hose setup to water for 20 mins, once a day. Would that be over-watering? If so, would that cause the issue? Or is it underwatering?

I have a soaker hose setup to water for 20 mins, once a day. Would that be over-watering?

Watering daily is over-watering for most all plants unless you live in a desert environment. You don't indicate your location of even garden zone so yes, it very well could be a contributing factor.

Daily shallow watering - and only 20 mins with a soaker hose is very shallow watering - results in shallow rooted plants and root rot. Stressed plants drop blooms and abort fruit.

Dave

I'm in Philadelphia, PA. What would you recommend? (How often/duration) I bought a timer/soaker hose setup to make watering automated so I don't have to go out there in the blistering heat/buggy backyard ;)

you water when a plant needs water..

insert finger.. and find out..

or use a hand trowel.. and dig a few 3 to 6 inch holes.. AND FIND OUT HOW YOUR SOIL WORKS ...

its really your soil.. NO ONE... can guess.. how it all works in your soil ...

lets it dry until near wilting...

water for 20 mins.. dig some holes... and see how water moves thru your soil ... if insufficient at depth .. then water longer.. but less frequently ..

again.. its your soil.... particular to you.. your yard.. and your micro climate.... you have to figure it out ..

good luck

ken

As ken said, learn how your soil works. But soaker hose deliver very little water over time. A general use guideline (which may or may not apply to your soil) is approx. 1x per week for a period of 2 hours minimum. Other variables apply of course, especially the specific needs of the plant.

A simple test you can do to determine the delivery rate is to bury a 6-8" tall tin can in the bed so the top rim is right at the soil line and lay a portion of the hose over it. Run it until the can is full. Note the length of time required.

That way you have a fairly good indication that the water is at least getting down to the root level in that amount of time. In your climate filling that can 1x a week should easily be sufficient unless your soil is quite sandy and fast draining. If your soil is heavy clay then it may be needed even less often.

Monitor your plants for wilting - not in the heat of the day as that is normal - but early in the AM or late evening. Those may need water.

Deep infrequent watering is always more beneficial for any plant than is frequent shallow watering.

Dave

If you miss the female flower by a couple hours can't you just pry it open?

I wonder why they open so briefly doesn't seem efficient.

its not the age of the flower.. its how long the pollen stays active ...

usually.. it is spent.. by the time the flower closes .. so prying it open wont help ..

that is generally speaking..a s compared to some specific gourd knowledge ... you can research it

ken