im starting to lose all hope

[bobleponge]

I've been gardening for years darkcrystal, and I am still having problems with the plants you are having problems with ! I haven't grown them before, so when all sorts of things go wrong I am just about as at a loss as you.
But I remember when it was like that with everything I did with veggies, and now people even ask me for advice. So stick with it, it is just a case of practice, practice, practice; we all do things wrong every year and lose plants, that's how we all learn...if you look at some of the old threads from last year, there was a great big one at the end of the growing season detailing all the things people wouldn't do again - everyone contributed !

And I'm just about to bump it again, as I have planted my toms faaaarrrrr too close together. Gardening is always a learning curve I reckon.

Male flowers dying off arent a problem, as has been said, once you see the flowers with a small bump behind them (and it is obvious, even though I didnt know what I was looking for first time) then you know your fruit have arrived.

[darkcrystal]

i have a female flower slowly opening up on my pumpkin plant and lots of male popping up on the same plants.....im watering it every day and feeding it every week with miracal grow as it has more nitrogen. so if this flower dies before opening then i know there is something wrong with the plant, or im doing something wrong
i have put photos on too

[Jillyreeves]

Im no expert - far from it.

I have looked at your photos and a was surprised how advanced your pumpkins are, mine are just a couple of true leaves and not ready for planting out yet.

Secondly, in the third photo Im sure that is a fruit forming behind the flower, so all is not lost.

Dont lose hope, I am sure your work will be rewarded.

[darkcrystal]

it will be nice if it works.......but i thought the flower had to be germinated first by the male....but the male ones on that plant havent opened yet hopefully they will open with this one and stay open.

[darkcrystal]

i must say though it is fun watching things grow, i love it.

[Flummery]

I usually find they have been flowering for 2 or 3 weeks before you get male and female together and start getting fruits. Then you have to stand back fast before you get buried in a mound of them!

[HeyWayne]

I've found the best way of learning is making mistakes.

I only just planted out some of my courgettes and squashes last night - they're only small yet, but I guess as has been mentioned above - it's still early yet.

Once they get going though!...

Hang in there - it'll be worth it in the end.

[Florence Fennel]

I've found the best way of learning is making mistakes.

I only just planted out some of my courgettes and squashes last night - they're only small yet, but I guess as has been mentioned above - it's still early yet.

Once they get going though!...

Hang in there - it'll be worth it in the end.

You're right Wayne, he who never made a mistake never made anything! I'm on my third go with cucumber cause I was far too early and I had to ask for lots of advice from grapes to get my tomatoes to where they are now. I hope to get pumpkins for my granddaughters' Halloween lanterns and it's my first time growing them, so keep going darkcrystal and we'll compare notes later in the season!
Flo

[maytreefrannie]

You're right Wayne, he who never made a mistake never made anything! I'm on my third go with cucumber cause I was far too early and I had to ask for lots of advice from grapes to get my tomatoes to where they are now. I hope to get pumpkins for my granddaughters' Halloween lanterns and it's my first time growing them, so keep going darkcrystal and we'll compare notes later in the season!
Flo

I have one plant (one germinated out of three seeeds sown) and I'm hoping too to have a pumpkin or pumpkins for my grandchildren. I haven't told them just in case it doesn't produce or something.

Mine is still small, planted out 2 days ago, with a couple of tiny flowers.

[darkcrystal]

i have a feeling i have planted the seeds too early i wanted them for halloween, but then again you never know,
i cant believe how quick the pumpkin plants are growing the back of them really need to change direction because they will hit my sunflowers.
on the very last pumpkin plant i have actually got a male flower and its open as well so i might get a chance.....the female flower died straight away on the biggest plant but it has a bump at the back so we aill see..there are no female flowers on the smallest just yet.

[Florence Fennel]

Here's hoping we all do well with the lanterns! I don't have any flowers yet, but the plants look healthy and wave to me every morning.