Your comments and tips

08 Nov 13, Ron (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I am trying to grow Qld blue pumpkins in Brisbane but a fruit appears and after a while it turns yellow and dies. Do I have to pollinate myself because I can't think of any other reason.

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07 Dec 13, Laura (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi Ron I am near Mackay and am having the same problem. I just self-pollinated this morning to see if this helps. Laura

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05 Oct 13, (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi all can anyone tell us how to treat what appears to be downy mildew on pumpkins rockmelons & cucumbers?? Jenniffer

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22 Oct 13, Andrew S (Australia - temperate climate)

Try a mix of milk and water ,,shaken and then sprayed on the mildew. Pick off and destroy some of the worse leaves. This might also help to get a little bit of air circulation around the plants.

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14 Sep 13, Ian McAuslan (Australia - temperate climate)

Why aren't potatoes and pumpkin compatible?

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08 Sep 13, Don (Australia - temperate climate)

I see we should avoid growing pumpkins and potatoes together. I have 2 vegie gardens, they are about 8 meters apart. I grew potatoes(sebago?), tomatoes (gross Lizze), and for the first time capsicum and lettuce in the big one, and jap pumkins in the smaller one last year. Lettuce were great until a hail storm hit, tomatoes, potatoes and capsicum all went well. But the pumkin in a virgin patch went ok, although some fruit did not develop. I had about 8 vines, and at one point there were 25 fruit starting to grow. Some of the flowers did not even open. Others got bulb end rot. I got about 10 good pumkins off the patch, which I think is ok considering it is smaller than recommended at 2 by 3.8 meters, and it was the first time anything had been grown in the soil. Did I have a lesser success with my pumkins because the potatoes were close by? I did have to hand pollinate a bit. What are the main reasons for not growing spuds and pumkins together?

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15 Aug 13, Shaun (Australia - temperate climate)

hi David I've had success with butternut from seed for the past two years. I start the seeds off in spring, after I'm sure that the temperature overnight won't drop too low. I start the seeds off in small covered trays, usually on a window ledge to catch the morning sun. I plant out the seedlings around the end of September.

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15 Aug 13, David newdick (Australia - temperate climate)

Thanks for your comment. Weather wise our nearest would be either Ringwood 3134, or Scoresby 3179. Thank you.

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14 Aug 13, David (Australia - temperate climate)

We live in Croydon Vic. Would like info re Butternut pumpkin from seed. Thank you.

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20 Nov 13, phil (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi DAVID I live in Wantirna. Last year i had a very sucessful crop of butternuts grown from seed. I did find that i needed to hand pollinate though to get the good results. Seed generally take 7 days to germinate. Dont overwater early Hope this helps Phil

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