Girl Flowers

One of the most interesting things I learned last year was the difference between boy and girl flowers. My first time growing pumpkins was in the summer of 2010 and each morning I was really excited to wake up and see beautiful deep orange flowers in bloom, knowing that baby pumpkins were on there way. But none ever grew. It didn't make any sense to me.

                                           (The Pumpkin Project)

Then last year, I set aside my pumpkin seeds and decided to try yellow squash instead since I had heard they grow easily in the DFW Metroplex. Easy? I needed easy (still kinda do)! Then while reading posts on a gardening forum someone mentioned having only male flowers. I read further and it turns out that there are boy and girl flowers and the two must pollinate in order to produce fruit. You can tell the difference because the girl flowers have a miniature version of the fruit just below the stem and the boy flowers have just the flower and stem. I know, I'm really not sure why this didn't occur to me before!?!

So I was thrilled when I spotted my first Girl Watermelon Flower from my surprise (volunteer) watermelon plant.  I took it upon myself to help it pollinate, but the flower dropped the next day. However, not long after I began spotting them everywhere...in the yellow squash and the watermelons! I'm still not sure why my pumpkins didn't do well in 2010. I had three plants, but never noticed any fruits. Since I now have a better idea of what I'm doing this year I have planted four varieties of pumpkins this year:

Howden - a jack-o-lantern type variety
Lumina - a white variety that I think will look cool on my doorstep
Sugar Pie - small pumpkin for cooking
Rouge Vif D'Etampes -  a Cinderella pumpkin from France


I'm excited to grow pumpkins this year, because by the time they are ready to harvest I will be in "fall" mode and ready to decorate and make some pies (hopefully that taste good). 

                                          (The Charmed Life)