My pumpkins are somewhat of a disappointment this year. I had high hopes as I skipped 2020 due to the squash bugs in 2019. So far no squash bugs but the plants are small and the pumpkins even smaller. We have not even had a bad hailstorm but the plants are not thriving. I have taken meticulous care this year, providing lots of nutrients and water so I am a bit baffled.
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That's too bad! Maybe it was just a bad year for pumpkins. I know it was a bad year for tomatoes here.
ReplyDeleteWe've had great Toms and zucchini. Sigh - I think climate change will make this curiouser and curiouser.
DeleteRotating the growing area and fresh seeds? Powdery mildew was always my problem even with babying them. The lack of bees meant hand pollinating for last 2 years we had a garden. Love the shape of the last one.
ReplyDeleteSo this was new organic seed and we did rotate. I never considered lack of bees however. Next year I think we are going to try growing them in the compost as they seem to sprout and grow naturally there.
DeleteI've never had any luck growing pumpkins, so the fact you have some even small ones beats me!
ReplyDeleteNice. I wish I had grown some here.
ReplyDeleteWell give it a try next year. Monty Don grows them on Gardners World in the UK.
DeleteAlready bought the seed.
DeleteNo pumpkin growing advice, but you've given me a great idea to grow my own and save some cash! I like those a lot, and they look great for decorating out on the porch. Hugs, RO
ReplyDeleteWell they are pretty puny so I am not sure you would save that much cash. Still they are fun to grow!
DeleteThe strange thing is, I had three vines that look just like yours, and 4 others that went crazy and gave me a couple of 25 pounders! They were in the same area but just off to the side. All were watered the same and same amount of light. Usually vine borers in the stem can stunt the plant and keep it from maturing. I dont think its a matter of bees pollinating because if the pumpkin starts to grow that means its been pollinated. I had so much bee activity this year and still had a few that never really took. If they are not pollinated, they will usually fall off before starting to grow. Check your stems near the base and see if there is any damage or brown "fraz" there. if there is, you have a borer inside. Otherwise I think you are doing the right thing by changing the location. In my experience it seems to be genetic in the plant and sometimes you get lucky, other times not so much.
ReplyDeleteSo I have looks for the fraz and am not seeing it. I have also cut two vines and chopped them up at 1/2 inch intervals all along and have not seen any insect damage. The bases look healthy just small. So next year, I will be on the lookout for them but will rotate the plants.
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