Growing Giant Pumpkins 2021 Part 10 - Pollination

Trying to grow a 2000lb Giant Pumpkin - week-by-week series

Pumpkin seeds available for purchase in USA at https://www.etsy.com/shop/NEGiantPump....

PART 10

It was pollination day for the first pumpkin on the 2294.5 Noel plant. I used pollen from the male flowers from the 2014 Paton plant. Here's what I did to do the pollination.

The evening before:
* Covered the female flower with cheese cloth - this is to stop the flower opening before I get to it in the morning, and to stop insects getting in with rogue pollen.
* Zip-tied up male flowers from the other plant - this is to stop insects getting the pollen in the morning.

The morning of:
* Collected the male flowers.
* Used the male flowers like paintbrushes to pollinate the female.
* Closed up the female - to stop insects getting in with rogue pollen.
* Covered the female with a styrofoam cooler with ice bottles - to keep the pumpkin cool - it's hot out and that can prevent the pollination from taking.

Now we wait to see if the pollination took. I'll pollinate female flowers on the main vines of all the plants - probably 2-3 on each. Then will keep the strongest pumpkin on each plant.



ABOUT

I grow my pumpkins in New England, and I'm trying to beat my personal best Giant Pumpkin of 1832.5lbs. I don't talk in the videos as I'm going for an ASMR quality. Just watch me work and listen to the sounds of the pumpkin patch. Happy to answer any questions in the comments. Subscribe for weekly updates to my 2021 season.