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Sylvania

I planted fall rainbow blend, big max, jack o'lantern and jack be little.

I live in NW Ohio and planted them on June 2nd. All I see is male flowers so far. Is there anything different I should be doing? Have I planted too many in a small space?

Pictures here - > https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-ZRZpsn

[Last edit: 07/15/24 7:06:22 AM]

7/15/2024 6:34:59 AM

Central NY

You might be running your nitrogen a little high. I would back off it, and depending on what you’ve fed so far, potentially a shot of phosphorus to spark it. That being said, there are usually more males in the early stages of flower production. Good look. Plants look LUSH.

7/15/2024 7:35:47 AM

Sylvania

I am not feeding at all. Should I?

7/15/2024 7:47:30 AM

Western NY

Plants look good, but a bit crowded. I wouldn't do anything about that at this point, just see what happens.

7/15/2024 8:06:06 AM

Sylvania

Thank you

7/15/2024 8:09:46 AM

Sylvania

I was worried after reading something that said maybe the female flowers weren't growing due to too much shade from the leaves.

Anything I can or should do as they branch out in order to not have them go into the yard? I believe I can gently redirect the branches.

7/15/2024 10:58:09 AM

Syracuse, NY

ToddG - The females are probably not affected by the sun not getting to them; In fact, they usually 'try' to hide as much as possible, lol. You've done about the best job, ever, at keeping within a confined space - there's a contest here about that, but it's for one plant/one pumpkin, etc.
Next year!
4 now, keep spiralin'!
Male flowers are an indication to pollinators that 'Here's a pumpkin plant and next week, a new flavor will be here, too!' Ahem. I, myself will be applying a LOW-NITROGEN/HIGH-PHOSPHORUS/LOW-POTASSIUM, water-soluble fertilizer as a mainstay during these flower-bearing weeks because I, too have a few plants with not enough female blossoms, but they are Atlantic Giants. I shoulda done that a week ago.
Yours are perhaps only a little behind, if at all!
Same policies, from a month earlier. eric g

7/16/2024 1:13:31 AM

Sylvania

Thank you Eric!
Can you recommend the fertilizer you mentioned?
Will the fertilizer promote female flowers and more growth overall?
If so, These are already outgrowing their space, however I planted too many in a small space.

7/16/2024 7:36:24 AM

Syracuse, NY

Yeah, Miracle-Grow 15-30-15 or 10-52-10 (Both are 'Bloom Booster').
Regular strength is 1 TBSP per gallon of H2O and it looks like 1 gallon per plant with a gallon+ watering jug in your pumpkin plant display. IIIIIIIIIIIIIII will be doing this and did not get to the hardware today butt will tomorrow. I need to get a 55-gallon barrel hooked up to my system before I can utilize that with fertilizer applications en masse' or whatever - Even I'm slacking off on ferts with having to do it by hand. I even like to but need that next leap of convenience!
MG will not burn your plants according to the label, so, use as directed butt you can apply it every other day for the week you'll need it for. Higher-than-rest Phosphorous is devoted/associated with flowering (which is, folks, the pumpkin!) and rooting and the plants will hopefully respond to that end of having more flowers and be, unseen butt usefully, rooting more as well. Nothing to lose, really and you don't need a huge amount, butt enough for next year, too.
Don't just get 'whatever they had' - The numbers are there for a reason. There are others and you'll learn all about them between now and next season! Stay tuned for others' responses, but you can do as I suggested if you'd like. I am not a Heavy Hitter butt I'll tell you as I see it, with the best of intentions, and that'll help with your already-great start. Yes, too many in a small space, but SO healthy-looking and neat.
eg
PS---In your case, they might be already on-schedule and will be blooming just fine next week, butt after the 'nudge', if it works noticeably, you'll have plenty, even with any 'Placebo Effect'.

7/16/2024 9:19:38 PM

Sylvania

Thank you Eric

7/17/2024 7:09:54 AM

Sylvania

Looking for other responses as well to recommend if I should wait or fertilize to promote female blooms.

7/17/2024 7:21:18 AM

Syracuse, NY

I got mine, early evening tonight - not applied yet.
I certainly respect the notion to wait, as I've been simply not getting to the Hardware as I should have, lol---
Check your seed packets - Your Big Max may be Cucurbita Maxima, which may have a longer seed-to-harvest time, like 120 days or 110, rather than perhaps 90 for smaller varieties or FPs; If anything greater than the others, that'd be the one to think of as a higher-priority plant - maybe the one to test the 'Miracle' on. I'll step off now and see what happens, only providing info if I've gotten muchos blossomos in the meantime. A few too many'll be better than not enough, I'm finding. eric g

7/17/2024 10:17:09 PM

Sylvania

Good point Eric. My pumpkins have a harvest date of 60-120 days for the different varieties in the garden.

7/18/2024 7:08:34 AM

Syracuse, NY

(*_*), lol---eric g

[Last edit: 07/23/24 1:56:38 AM]

7/23/2024 1:31:10 AM