Secrets to a perfect pollination Giant Pumpkin

[@toddfriermood6658]

Good video Chris always wanted someone to cover this for new growers. Always worried with so many new growers that they aren't aware of controlled crosses and label them as open.

[@GardenofGiants]

Thanks, Todd I do appreciate it and I’m right there with you. I want everyone to know exactly how to do a close pollination so that no one ever has to wonder if it was an open.

[@hschmitz90]

Great video, Chris! Very imformative. I think the only thing you left out was the time you normally want to pollinate. I can't seem to get myself up early enough, so I just let the bees do the work. One of these years, I will do my own pollination...

[@GardenofGiants]

Thanks so much, and like I said, if you’re not concerned about the seeds, being crossed a certain way, let the bees do it cause they’re great at it.

[@hschmitz90]

@GardenofGiants, you're very welcome. Yeah I know, but it would nice to try pollinating my own sometime though!!!

[@JasonBeddo-xe1gt]

After the male flowers fall off the stem, do you want to cut them off the vine?

[@johndycus6468]

Not true on the pollination temperatures. I am a row crop farmer and pumpkin grower in west TN (around Memphis.) I plant my pumpkins between the 15th of June and 4th of July. I grow a mix of carving, pie, miniature and giant varieties. In my area, the flowering / pollinating stage occurs during daytime highs of 85-95 degrees with lots of humidity. I have never had any major pollination issues during extremely high temperatures.

[@GardenofGiants]

Yeah, I think I forgot to explain in the video that that was at 6 AM, as long as your temperatures are between 70 and 80 that is a sweet spot for pollination once it gets over 80 pollination definitely goes down, especially in cucurbit maxima so as long as the bees are hitting those flowers before it hits 80° you will indeed have a very successful pollination rate…. After 80 it’s not impossible to get a pollination. It’s just a bit tougher. Remember, you only need one pollen grain to take to start growing that pumpkin so while possible to pollinate at higher temperatures, your seed production will go down. So as long as your wake up temperatures are under 80, you should be getting very good pollination.

[@johndycus6468]

@@GardenofGiants Oh ok I see what you are talking about. I like your channel, you have some very good knowledge. I just got into this whole world of growing giant stuff last year. Like I said, I am a row crop farmer (corn, soybeans and wheat.) On the side, I grow and sell purple hull peas, butter beans, green beans, cucumbers, okra, tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, pecans and cotton (I sell the cotton stalks and bolls for fall and Halloween decorations.) I make and sell salsa and pickles too. I always shoot for high, yet realistic yields on my crops. I have grown and found some really cool stuff. I wish I could post pictures in these comments. Last year I grew a 7 lock cotton boll. The average number of locks on a cotton boll is 4 and 5 locks per boll is really really good. I have read about a small number of people that have found a 6 lock cotton boll but that is way out of the ordinary. I live in cotton country and know a lot of cotton farmers and cotton ginners. Nobody that I know or have read about has ever seen a 7 lock cotton boll. I found a triple paper shell pecan last fall. It was 3 paper shell pecans that grew together. I also found a single cotton stalk last fall that had 102 open bolls on it. The average number of bolls on a cotton stalk is around 12-16. I saved the seeds from it and I am attempting to grow a cotton stalk with 50 bolls. I have grown 30 bolls on a stalk in the past. I have some Big Moon and Big Max pumpkins growing. I am looking for 150 pounds on those but really shooting for 200-250 pounds. I know that is not a very high number in the world of giant pumpkins but I am just starting my journey into this world of giant stuff. I look forward to watching your videos and learning a few new things. Maybe I can share some knowledge with you as well.

[@GardenofGiants]

Wow, it appears you keep yourself very busy… Being from Minnesota, I don’t even think Cotton grows up here or pecans for that matter. But as a guy that loves gardening and loves oddball and giant plants, I would love to see pictures. I will put my email address below if you would like to send some pictures, I would certainly love to see them. Thanks again for watching. I do appreciate it. [e-mail]