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San Luis Obispo, Ca.

I have four AG's that are all the same age, 3 weeks. I put in the ground last weekend and they all have the 4th leaf coming out. But one of them is going right into flower. Where the leaf is suppose to be, is a flower clusters. What the heck! It has been chlliy at night low 40's and over cast, rainy, windy. But we are in for a nice warm up the next week with temps in the 80s. Did lots of soil prep over winter cover crop and all. Any I deas?

4/30/2010 5:38:43 PM

cold roots cause stress, do you have heated cold frame? what is soil temp

4/30/2010 6:08:04 PM

Pataskala,OH

stress

4/30/2010 7:30:46 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Majorly stressed.

4/30/2010 11:22:11 PM

Farrell, PA

I have flowers on mine as well but I'm at 2 months almost so I cant really say for sure or not. You're problem might be stress while mine might be just mature enough to produce flowers already. I'm sure you'll get some help on here though. Good luck Dustin

5/1/2010 6:10:28 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

If you have less than 7' of main and open male blooms it's stressed.

5/1/2010 9:36:04 AM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

So what now? Start over? Hit with N?

5/1/2010 11:14:40 AM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

BTW, What soil temp is optimal for growing?

5/1/2010 11:16:21 AM

Middle TN

Im seeing the same thing here on a plant a lil over a month old. Dont have any open blooms just lil tiny buds next to the leaf. Id post a pic but the weather is horrible. Flash floods, tornado warnings, hail we got it all going on right now. I'll post a pic when things calm down.

5/1/2010 3:47:34 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

If it's just starting to make some buds that's different than open blooming flowers. If it's opening a vast cluster of boys close to stump and you have less than 7' or so of main, then you need to trim off the boys and give that plant some help... figure out what is stressing it and do something about it. (windbreak, hoop house, shadecloth, more water, less water...)

5/1/2010 4:31:19 PM

Rhode Island

if you had the genetic background some of these seeds have you might also have plenty of extra male parts??????????

5/1/2010 8:39:48 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Never been my problem, Pap. :) Now these seeds... can be very interesting indeed. Never a dull moment in pumpkin growing (except for weeding).

5/1/2010 10:23:49 PM

Middle TN

So its normal to see tiny buds on a 43 day old plant? The plant looks healthy to me but Im a rookie. It hasnt laid down and started running yet but its very very close. Pic in my diary.

5/2/2010 8:12:28 AM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Good questions Tammy. What is normal in terms of flower production at a young age. Do we just pick them off or let'em go?

5/2/2010 11:17:37 AM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Oh OkieGal. No what I am seeing is cluster's of buds no open male flowers. but last year when this happened the plant grew out about 2-3ft and stopped growing. So should I pick off buds?

5/2/2010 11:20:10 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

You can if you want to, this batch. Plant will make more. I tend not to just in case I need pollen, taking them off when plant is bigger and they are about to bloom, if I don't need them. Yes it's normal to see buds even on a 5-6 leaf plant.... http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=80234
This plant is in the low 40's for age; and yes it had stress issues, this was my 'trainer vine'. It bloomed the first one 6 days later. I cut them off just before bloom after that for awhile... I pollenated on that plant 4 weeks after first male bloomed (selfed).

5/2/2010 12:54:20 PM