Your comments and tips

27 Feb 18, Ndumie (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

Is it true that the growing butternut must not get direct sunlight? It must be covered?

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23 Feb 18, Trudi (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I have lots of pumpkin flowers but only one pumpkin has formed. A friend mentioned male and female flowers. Can/should I remove flowers that aren't going to produce fruit?

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26 Feb 18, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)

If you go to the Australian - sub-tropical zone - there is quite a bit about this with pumpkin. Pumpkin produce male flowers first then they have female flowers, The female flower is only open for one day (until about mid day). No bees no pumpkin. So hand pollination is required. Take about two male flowers and rub the female flowers with it. Look up the internet on how to do it. This applies to zucchini, cues and melons also I believe.

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09 Feb 18, bruce (Australia - temperate climate)

Butternut pumpkins...planted mid Nov'. do they change colour & sound hollow when ripe? we are a bit dubious when to harvest.

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12 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Harvesting Knowing when to harvest pumpkins is no great mystery, firstly the skin should be hard, secondly the stem leading to the vine should be hard as well, this indicates that the pumpkin is no longer taking in nutrients. And Thirdly when given a tap it should sound a little hollow. SO how long from planting to harvest 3 – 4 months. When you do harvest them make sure you leave a good amount of stem attached, this helps them last longer and prevents rot. Many growers like to leave them in the field until the first frost hits as this will knock back the vines but also toughen the pumpkin and some say make it taste sweeter and keep longer.

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07 Feb 18, Rose (New Zealand - temperate climate)

My pumpkin snapped off the vine. It is very large but the vine is still healthy. What do i do with the pumpkin to ripen it

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14 Sep 18, Mike (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Support the vine next time. If the vine had started to die back etc the pumpkin would have been ripe/mature - 5-6 mths old. If the plant had only been growing 3 mths then the pumpkin would be immature.

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08 May 18, Peter (New Zealand - temperate climate)

had the same problem early in last season I put the pumpkin in a warm dry place in the garden shed and was left for 3 months decided to cut it and was surprised to see a fresh not fully ripe but very edible pumpkin, warm shed and dry seems to work

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31 Jan 18, Karen hoye (Australia - temperate climate)

When to plant gourd seeds in Newcastle NSW first attempts Cheers Karen

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02 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

It says it grows like pumpkin, so plant it now.

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