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Minnesota([email protected])

I know some of you have grown plants with the sole purpose of using itthem for a pollinator(no pumpkin produced on it. I'm thinking doing this with one plant. I'd like to know how you manage a plant of this sort. How much sq. ft. are needed for it to safely have the males available at the right time? How many vines do you you let grow? What pattern do you train the vines in, etc.?

4/2/2008 6:25:10 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

i did one with less than 200 sq ft. then as soon as the female had produced good pumpkin, i culled it.

4/2/2008 7:42:18 PM

Western NY

here's my 2 cents - Self it if you don't have the room for the second plant.

here's why - that pollinating plant could be a dud and you'll never know. I know what the pollinating plant did for all the seeds i'll be planting this year.

I know there are some great looking pumpkins out there with a pollinating plant that got yanked. I won't be the test case for those, not matter how well it may look on paper.

Keep in mind some of the great seeds got planted based on the performance of the pollinating plant - 723 Bobier, 998 Pukos, 1041 McKie certainly come to mind.

4/2/2008 8:38:09 PM

Leamington, Ont.

Doug, the past few years I have grown a pollen plant using the snake pattern (main vine only). I just train it around the outside of the patch and pinch off the secondaries as they appear. So far I have been lucky to have males available when needed.

4/2/2008 8:39:01 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks for the replies. I'm only planning on growing three competition plants at this point. I could spare room for a small plant, and was thinking of growing the 940 Mombert 00, a color seed I really like. I was thinking of self pollinating a pumpkin on it, so I can somewhat preserve those genetics....as the seed is getting somewhat older. I'm thinking of raising it in a small space similar to what some do with a pollinator plant. I could save the 940 for another year, but worry about a lower chance of germination as the seed gets older.

4/2/2008 10:35:55 PM

Napa Valley, CA

Doug, I have room for 2 main plants (about 700 sq.ft each) and one smaller plant (aprox. 200 sq.ft.)
I consider my 200 sq.ft. plant a pollinator plant, but I do grow a pumpkin on it...... usually about 300/400 lbs.
Its nice to have that back up plant as a source for pollen when you might need it in July.
I am lucky to live in a town with 10 serious growers..... theres lots of great pollen available nearby when ya need it..... but I still like having that pollinator plant out back.

I think that growers with limited space are more likely to grow pollinator plants for obvious reasons.

4/3/2008 4:07:30 AM

Bristol,RI,USA.

Doug a pollin plant is like a parts car, stick it some were and forgat it until you need it. take what you need when you need it,and towe the rest to the compost pile

4/3/2008 5:41:50 PM