[mollski]

hi to all ive got loads of flowers on my pumkin then the flower dies then im left with the pumpkin which then dies this happens all the time ,why is this please?

[sunshineband]

Hi mollski

Sounds as though you have female flowers that are not being fertilised, so the mini pumpkin doesn't then grow.

The female flowers have a small fruit behind them, the male flowers just a stem.

You can give the bees a bit of a hand and fertilise the female flowers with the male ones, very gently.

Hope that helps 

[johnwoots]

sorry to interupt, but am going to try that with my squash plants, but as a squash virgin, is there any obvious way to tell male and femal flowers apart?  i have hust been on google images (very helpfull by the way!!) but i cant tell!

any help any one?

[Beetroot queen]

sorry to interupt, but am going to try that with my squash plants, but as a squash virgin, is there any obvious way to tell male and femal flowers apart?  i have hust been on google images (very helpfull by the way!!) but i cant tell!

any help any one?

The female flowers have a small fruit behind them, the male flowers just a stem 

[sunshineband]

Same as pumpkins 

[johnwoots]

so, forgive me for being a doh-nut, but should i remove the male flower to and rub the pollen together or use another method?

[Beetroot queen]

so, forgive me for being a doh-nut, but should i remove the male flower to and rub the pollen together or use another method?

Paintbrush is what most people use, be gentle with those females they like a delicate touch 

[johnwoots]

thats great, will drink as much alchol as possible to get my confidence up!  Many thanks

[DD.]

Naw, no need for delicacy with a pumpkin. That's for whimps like melons. Go straight in, rip the male off, strip off the petals and.......... well - you know.

[Beetroot queen]

Naw, no need for delicacy with a pumpkin. That's for whimps like melons. Go straight in, rip the male off, strip off the petals and.......... well - you know.

What a bed side manner 

[DD.]

Tell it as it is!

[mollski]

so do i just rub the inside of the flower with a paint brush please?

[DD.]

No you have to rub it over the male flower first to collect the pollen, then transfer it to the female flower.

By far easier is the previous method I described.

[mollski]

ok thanks