[no_akira]

Every year I grow Pumpkins with so-so success...

However this year after a re-think and a Dalek filled to the brim with horse manure / bedding.

Plonked a Pumpkin into this 2 month old manure. Its gone "mad for it" as they say in manc land.

So then built a plastic mesh ladder, 18" wide for it to trail down. Then looped the snaking back on itself so the female flowers are alongside the male flowers...

I have also been watering more this year with all the sun but also reading the Which report on Watering research back from June issue.

I've also been ripping open the flowers as they seem to be staying closed for too long ?

[mumofstig]

Many people plant their pumpkins in manure heaps, it does seem to work quite well

I've not seen the Which advice, about watering, but I just make sure the heap doesn't completely dry out.

The first opening of petals relates to the increasing viability of pollen inside the flower, so I wouldn't think that ripping open the flowers, rather than letting them open naturally, would improve the chances of fertilisation.