Your comments and tips

19 Mar 09, Elle Allardice (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have been hunting for ages for the seeds of the Iron bark pumpkin, and so far have not been successful. Does anyone know where I can get them? They are a beautiful dry excellent roaster, and make great pumpkin wine! I also am growing something that lookes like a Jap, but has the shape of a butternut. They were self sown, too.

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16 Mar 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)

Ferolyn: I pick the male flowers first thing in the morning, peel the petals off then rub the female flowers (pumpkins, luffa, zucchini etc)

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14 Mar 09, Ferolyn (Australia - temperate climate)

From Adelaide here. Got butternut plant flowering lots now. But the ants are always on the flower. Do i have to rub the male flowers on to the females every day? Sometimes the petals on the females have already closed by later in the afternoon... is it alright to open the petals to pollinate them...?

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25 Jan 09, Kylie (Australia - temperate climate)

I have planted saved seeds from organic butternut and jap pumpkins and they are growing well...question is, one variety (not sure which) is spreading the way I know pumpkin vines to spread, and the other is growing in a bush shape similar to zucchini with little yellow balls (which I'm presuming to be pumpkins) clustered in the middle. They get to the size of a golf ball and then start to shrivel up...mmmm...mysterious. Appreciate any help. Thank you in advance!

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24 Jan 09, sue (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

i really need some simple information please..pumpkins are doing well and getting large, but i have no idea when to take them of the vine..someone told me whenever i want depending on the size but im not so sure..can someone please tell me!! Isnt it just lovely growing these...so childlike really..but what pleasure to see them "walk" accross the garden!!

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17 Jan 09, kez (Australia - temperate climate)

I planted some heirloom pumpkin seeds and the plants were looking great. Female flowers were looking great and opened early in the mornings but the male flowers were too immature to use to hand polinate. They simply had no polen when I opened up the flowers! any suggestions? I'm thinking i need to put some potash in the soil maybe

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14 Jan 09, Radhika (Australia - temperate climate)

I am ecstatic to see that our first attempt at 'golden nugget' pumpkins this year are flourishing, and appear to have ripened. But do I harvest them once the vine has died or do I pick them before then? ( I'm worried they might be more prone to rot etc as they are small)

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11 Jan 09, kym matulick (Australia - temperate climate)

my mother only buys butternut pumpkin and puts all her vegie scraps in the ground so she has a lot of pumpkins that came up. however she cant understand why they are all the colour of jap pumpkins but the shape of butternuts. she has a huge crop of pumpkins on the vines which is great but what are they????? can anyone help

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06 Jan 09, Rosie (Australia - temperate climate)

My pumpkin (organic seed) were growing great - now the middle of the vine - where the seeds were initially planted are starting to die off!!! Any ideas what is needed to remedy this?

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06 Jan 09, Paul (Australia - temperate climate)

Water pumpkins when they show signs of limp leaves, first thing in the morning. Then have a look after the heat of the day is over and if they are wilting again water them. I pollinate with a small desk duster, the static electricity one that attracts dust, and swish it into the male flowers then into the females everyday till the females show sign of swelling. Be carefull you use one duster for one variety. Dusters are as cheap as chips and last many seasons.

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