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Old 05-09-2007, 10:49 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Bob Hobden Bob Hobden is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
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Default Pumpkin. Turning brown & dropping off


"tina" wrote
Can any of you pumpkin experts help me. I have a couple of pumpkin
plants in a raised bed. one of them had 2 small tomato sizes pumpkins
growing on one stem, but they have turned brown & dropped off.
Touching one of them it looked soft & mushy.

Does anyone know whats wrong?


Sounds like the female flowers, the ones with the embryonic fruit behind
them, are not being pollinated. Next time a female flower opens hand
pollinate it with a male flower by transferring the pollen from the male to
the end of the stigma (central sticky out bits in both cases) of the female.
Could be the cold weather is putting off the pollinating insects.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK