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Midway, UT

I've been having troubles with aborts on my 1566 Rodonis plant and looking for suggestions. Everything on the main from 9' on has aborted. A pollination at 16' is at day 5 and the pumpkin hasn't layed down yet and I'm guessing it is going to abort too. Next pollination is at about 18-19' in the next few days and I want to make sure it takes. Had zero aborts on side vines earlier in the season so the plant can grow pumpkins. Plant looks healthy with thick leaves. Outside of a weekly dose of compost tea and about 1/8 cup of cotton seed meal (soil nitrogen levels was a touch low) two weeks ago I haven't given the plant any fertilizer since the third week of June. Pumpkins have a shade cover over them that is up at least 5 days before pollination to keep it cool. Weather has been about 88-91 degrees for the last 2.5 weeks. All pollinations to date on my 1350 Starr plant have taken without any issues. Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated.

7/19/2009 8:31:28 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Shade chosen female for at least three days before pollenating and keep it on there after until you cull, it aborts, or you decide to keep it and build the sheltering.

Pollenate very early.

Try the cooler and ice packs as well to keep the female cool.

7/19/2009 9:39:15 PM

Fresno, CA

I'm no expert. However I will say that I wasn't able to get any pollinations to take after about june 20 unless they were with the ice chest method. Also, I have put ice next to my >softball female that pollinated a few days ago every day (because it is pretty hot here) to make sure it doesn't abort. It is no longer under a Styrofoam chest but it is under a tarp and I'm hoping the ice will still drop it a few degrees.

7/19/2009 9:54:36 PM

Rochester, MN

Look for my 1568 Aborting Post from last week and how they all seem to abort about the softball size for me.(all my other pumpkin plants (9 others) have set. Also Note: The 1566 R is the mom to the 1568 C. :-)
I've been trying since mid-June and still no luck!
Wishing you a set!

7/20/2009 12:14:17 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

CoJoe having problems with his too Jamie.......I took 30 feet before I could set one on the main of the 848* last year.....Good Luck....

7/20/2009 8:36:39 AM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

last yr i had to build a shade stucture around the polinated female. thats how i got mine.

7/20/2009 8:57:48 AM

Joliet, IL

nothing set on the main on my 1161 except a stem split 17 incher that went into the pumpkin. then 4 tries on secondary females to finally get one set. the plant is a beast and wants to stay in the vegetative mode is my guess. it has sprung up more pop up tertiaries than you can imagine. all vines are terminated, but more and more weird little pop up terts develope each day at weird locations. once the juices start flowing to the fruit, i expect to see less concentration of the plant on leaves, and more on the fruiting stage. this is my guess as i never had a problem with any plant on this spot, and the other plants pollinated at 100% success on each attempt.

7/20/2009 7:43:55 PM

Joliet, IL

best suggestion would be to hit the plant hard with phosphorus high ferts.

7/20/2009 7:45:30 PM