After pollination it takes 50 to 90 days for a pumpkin to mature. Whatever you do, don't cut leaves or the vine. It needs all the photosynthesis it can get. By the looks of the photo, I suspect your plant may be challenged to get enough direct sunlight. Yet it looks healthy and green, which says that it has received enough, up to this point. The only thing I can think of, to help it mature would be to somehow cover the plant with a clear plastic covered frame, later in the season, when nights begin to cool. Warmth speeds maturity. However: 1) You do not want to damage the vine, 2) You do not want to reduce its light and 3) building and placing such a structure would be both rather complicated and risky, in terms of potential damage to the vine. So, I would recommend that you just leave it be. You will know for sure, that the pollination took, when the little fruit grows. Within two or three days it should be twice as large as when you did the pollination. George Tahlequah, OK

Most publications and on-line information say to use 25% less agave nectar than sugar called for (3/4 c. agave nectar for each 1 c. sugar), but I've found I can use much less than that in most cases. It depends on other ingredients and what part (food science) the sweetener plays in the type of food. If there are sweet ingredients or spices, you can often use less agave nectar than 25%. In this wholegrain banana bread recipe - I use 1/4 c. agave nectar. BANANA-POPPY SEED BREAD 1 c. mashed banana 1/4 c. agave nectar (OR 1/2 c. sugar) 1/2 c. milk (I use homemade kefir) 3 T. vegetable oil 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 c. all-purpose flour (I use wholegrain spelt flour) 1 c. whole wheat flour 2 t. baking powder 2 T. poppy seeds (I substitute whole amaranth for an additional whole grain that is high in protein. They look like golden poppy seeds in the bread.) 1/2 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1/2 t. cinnamon vegetable cooking spray Combine the bananas and agave nectar (or sugar) in a small bowl; stir well. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk, oil, and egg; set the mixture aside. Combine flours and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Make a well in center of mixture; add banana mixture to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened. Spoon into 8-1/2x4-1/2x3-inch loaf pan (NOT a 9x5-inch pan usually used for quick breads) coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool on a rack. Grainlady Note: I like to bake quick breads in a Danish Loaf pan (aka Tea Loaf Pan - see link below). It's longer and more narrow (12" x 4" x 2 1/2" pan holds the equivalent of a 9" x 5" loaf pan) with playing-card sized servings. It's easier to slice very thin slices from this type pan - important when control portion sizes. Plus, it bakes 25% faster than a 9x5 pan. -------------------- WACKY CAKE (a frosting-free snack cake) 1-1/2 c. whole wheat flour (soft wheat, or whole wheat pastry flour OR 1-1/2 c. + 2 T. spelt flour) 1 t. soda 1/2 t. salt 3 T. cocoa powder (can eliminate) 1 T. vinegar 2 t. vanilla 5 T. butter, melted 2/3 c. agave nectar 1/3 c. cold water Mix ingredients in an 8-inch square pan in this order: -Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. -Make 3 holes evenly spaced apart in dry ingredients. -In first hole, put vinegar. In second hole, the vanilla. In third hole, melted butter. Mix water and agave nectar together and pour over all the cake ingredients. Stir well, using a dinner fork or spatula (be sure no dry ingredients remain in corners). Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes. One serving - 1/16 of cake (cut the cake into 16 pieces). For spice cake: Omit the cocoa and add 1/2 t. Penzeys Cake Spice (www.penzeys.com). A mixture of: China cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves. -------------------------------- Other agave nectar goodies (my original recipes): COCONUT ALMOND CANDY Melt: 2 T. butter in a frying pan Add: 1/2 c. long-shred UNsweetened coconut 1/2 c. chopped raw almonds Over medium heat, cook until the ingredients begin to brown. CAUTION - this will burn easily. Remove from heat. Add: 2-3 T. agave nectar 1 t. almond flavoring Stir well. Place in small paper candy cups. (I use a 100 size portion scoop for this - approx. 1 teaspoon.) Cool in a refrigerator at least 1/2 hour to set. Yield: approx. 20 pieces. PROTEIN PEANUT BUTTER BALLS 1/2 c. whey powder (vanilla flavor) 1/2 c. peanut butter 2 T. agave nectar 1 t. vanilla or almond flavoring Mix thoroughly with a dinner fork. *If desired, add 1/2 to 3/4 c. crisp wholegrain rice cereal to the dough. Roll into small (3/4 to 1-inch) balls. *Toppings - Melt 1/2 c. chocolate chips and drizzle over the top. You can also dip the balls in a little agave nectar and then dip in chopped roasted almonds or toasted unsweetened coconut. ---------------------- VANILLA ICE CREAM 4 oz. EGG BEATERS (DO NOT substitute raw eggs) 1/4 c. agave nectar 1 c. Half & Half 2 c. cream 1-1/2 t. vanilla In a 4-cup measuring cup or equal-sized bowl, combine Egg Beaters, agave nectar and vanilla and stir to mix. Add cream and half and half. Chill thoroughly in the freezer (just until ice crystals start to form on the edge. Process in an ice cream maker of choice AGAVE NECTAR CHOCOLATE SYRUP 1/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa Powder 1/2 c. agave nectar 1/2 c. cold water Mix, with a whisk (it takes a bit of mixing to get it smooth). Store in refrigerator. Serving: 1/2 c. ice cream and 1 T. cocolate syrup -Grainlady

Here is a receipe. Ive never tried it though, i use the one, that is on the pumpkin can, and use the same amount of splenda as it calls for on sugar. Even though a person is diabetic, they can still have some sugar. It use to be you couldnt have it at all, but doctors have changed their thinking on that. Cake: 3 large eggs 1 cup Equal® Spoonful* 1 cup canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup self-rising flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg Filling: 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese , softened 1 1/2 to 2 cups light whipped topping, thawed, if frozen 2 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful** (or to taste) For Cake: Beat eggs and 1 cup Equal® for 5 minutes in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Blend in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined. Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 5 to 8 minutes or until woodenpick comes out clean. Cool 3 minutes in pan; turn out onto a cloth and roll up from the narrow end. Chill in refrigerator until completely cool. For Filling: Beat cream cheese, whipped topping and 2 tablespoons Equal® in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until smooth and spreadable. Unroll pumpkin roll and spread with filling. Re-roll. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice cake into pinwheels. Makes 8 servings. * May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener ** May substitute 3 packets Equal sweetener Nutrition Information Per Serving: calories 159, protein 6 g, carbohydrate 19 g, fat 6 g, cholesterol 87 mg, sodium 341 mg. Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 fat.

Here is a recipe that seems to fit the bill: I may make some this weekend. 2 cups, unsalted butter (at room temperature) 1 cup, granulated sugar 1 cup, lightly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup, pumpkin purée 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ginger 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp all-spice 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt Instructions Cream the butter and 2 sugars together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low to medium speed. (Use the paddle attachment). Mix until thoroughly incorporated – for about one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more. Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporated into the dough. If you’d like a light and fluffy cookie, that’s ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking; not ideal if you’d like the cookie to hold its shape. Add pumpkin purée and eggs while slowly mixing. Add vanilla extract and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula at least once and mix briefly again. Sift your dry ingredients together. (Flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all-spice and salt. I do not use baking powder in my cut-out cookies). Add all of the flour mixture to the bowl. Place a large tea towel or two small tea towels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won’t escape. Mix on low speed for 3o seconds. Remove the tea towels and observe the dough mixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it’s ready. It’s also important at this stage not to over mix the dough (the glutens in the flour develop and the dough can become tough). Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and into the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. Roll out the dough further if you need to, and cut out cookie shapes. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and repeat. Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again. They will then hold their shape better when baked. Preheat your oven to 350°F or 176°C. Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. The baking time will depend on the size of your cookie. Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate!