Naked-seeded pumpkin project

[BeanWonderin]

I've got quite a few buds forming on the largest plants. How long do you expect until they're ready for pollination? I'm guessing a few days to a week.

Once the flowers are almost ready to open, I am planning to tape flowers shut each evening, then open and self the flowers on each plant in the morning and retape. Any other advice?

Also - a question for clarification. Little Greenseed are cucurbita pepo, right?

 

[ninnymary]

Well I admit the word Naked in the title of the post got my attention. After that it waned.

Mary

 

[Zeedman]

I've got quite a few buds forming on the largest plants. How long do you expect until they're ready for pollination? I'm guessing a few days to a week.

I did not see any female flower buds in the photo, so I would guess another 10-14 days before they appear. Male flowers will appear several days earlier. Just speculating, but I think squash plants open the pollen-rich male flowers first, so that bees will be present when the female flowers open.

Once the flowers are almost ready to open, I am planning to tape flowers shut each evening, then open and self the flowers on each plant in the morning and retape. Any other advice?

Just be sure to place some type of marker (twist tie, string, etc.) near the hand-pollinated flower, to identify it for seed saving. If there are more than one hand-pollinated on a plant, assign a letter or number to the plant, and mark all pumpkins there with that number/letter.

Also - a question for clarification. Little Greenseed are cucurbita pepo, right?

Yes, Cucurbita pepo.

Mine are still hanging on, in spite of both SVB and squash bugs having been on the plants. I kill them when I see them, but it remains to be seen if they will survive long enough for the pumpkins to mature. I only have 8 plants, all of them have one pumpkin set. So far, all the young pumpkins appear to be in the desired shape.

 

[flowerbug]

i haven't looked yet to see what is happening. Mom mentioned she's seen some squash babies out there, but i suspect from the description it is either a buttercup or a baby blue hubbard. she also said one of the plants was wilting so that is likely SVB damage showing up in one of the less resistant types. we planted five different kinds of squash this season so we'll see what happens. i'm not even sure any of some type even made it past seedling stage.

there's a nice breeze out there now drying things off so i'll go out and wander around once the day gets on a bit more.

 

[flowerbug]

... So far, all the young pumpkins appear to be in the desired shape.

is that round like a basketball? i have several squash out there that are already that big. surprised me to see them when i just checked.

i think you are only looking for the small sized fruits? these are so far not those.

 

[Zeedman]

is that round like a basketball? i have several squash out there that are already that big. surprised me to see them when i just checked.

i think you are only looking for the small sized fruits? these are so far not those.

The best ones - the ones packed with seed - were between softball & volleyball size. Other seedless pumpkins planted along with it (including Kakai) were larger, more basketball sized or larger, so there could be some with those qualities. In total, there were 4 naked-seeded pumpkins in the trial. Since they were all open pollinated, my hope is that any crosses which occurred would be with others in that row, not with any other C. pepo cousins (such as acorn squash, summer squash, or jack-o-lantern pumpkins). A round shape automatically eliminates many of those possibilities.

 

[flowerbug]

when to pick? when color turns or after or ?

 

[Zeedman]

when to pick? when color turns or after or ?

When color turns. When I grow winter squash for seed, I let the squash cure for several weeks before extracting the seed, since they will continue to fatten up during that period. Bur for many of the "Styrian" type seed pumpkins, the seeds need to be harvested promptly from the ripe pumpkins, or they begin to sprout internally. One of the traits I liked about Little Greenseed - besides the densely-packed seeds - was that the seeds didn't appear to be as prone to sprouting internally.

 

[flowerbug]

When color turns. When I grow winter squash for seed, I let the squash cure for several weeks before extracting the seed, since they will continue to fatten up during that period. Bur for many of the "Styrian" type seed pumpkins, the seeds need to be harvested promptly from the ripe pumpkins, or they begin to sprout internally. One of the traits I liked about Little Greenseed - besides the densely-packed seeds - was that the seeds didn't appear to be as prone to sprouting internally.

ok, thanks! will keep an eye on them...

 

[Marie2020]

When color turns. When I grow winter squash for seed, I let the squash cure for several weeks before extracting the seed, since they will continue to fatten up during that period. Bur for many of the "Styrian" type seed pumpkins, the seeds need to be harvested promptly from the ripe pumpkins, or they begin to sprout internally. One of the traits I liked about Little Greenseed - besides the densely-packed seeds - was that the seeds didn't appear to be as prone to sprouting internally.

I would like to find a way of keeping pumpkin seeds not only to grow but for consumption. But I need to learn how to preserve the seeds. Currently I am buying then fir my chickens and for my bread and breakfast