[Harpua]

So I was pollinating my 2 female flowers today and I noticed that one of my 3 plants had tears in the vine. It had about 4 in a row. I don't know if it is some kind of bug, or if it is just a tear. It looks like the plant tried to mend itself back together, but the holes are too wide. There is some shiny gunky stuff around the hole, but I figure that's what the plants secreted, not a slug or anything.

Is it a vine borer?
Is it not getting enough water?

What's going on?
Another question: It's good to have litle spiders on my plants, right? It keeps the smaller bugs away?

Also, how do you guys pollinate your flowers? I've been using a brush and then I take the petals off of the male flower and kind of swirl it around in the female flower while playing Zeppelin's Since I've Been Loving You. Then I tie the flower closed with some twine. I'm hoping it works, this is my first time.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Harpua

how do you guys pollinate your flowers?

Now, Now, it wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to say

Originally Posted by Harpua

I've been using a brush and then I take the petals off of the male flower and kind of swirl it around in the female flower while playing Zeppelin's Since I've Been Loving You.

i hope you have the decency to perform this act out of plain sight of the other plants.

Originally Posted by Harpua

Then I tie the flower closed with some twine.

now that's just plain kinky!

[mudbug]

Harpua,

Stop by a book store and look at the book called "Melons" by Amy Goldman.

For information on vine borers, go here:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=vine+borers

How much do you water? Spiders won't hurt your plants.You can tie the female flowers with twine or use masking tape. There is more than one way to achieve the same result.

[Pete]

When I was a kid, growing up, we planted pumpkins every year and never hand pollinated them, and always had plenty of pumpkins.

[Harpua]

I'm guessing that these "tears" are that exactly and did not have the means to grow. I made it easier for them to spread out so I don't think I will have anymore tears.

[redace1960]

oftentimes these guys will literally 'tear themselves apart' simply by growing rapidly. its the weight of the water uptaken into the vine vs the strength of the new soft growth. (that goopy stuff around the tear is sap.) it really doesn't mean anything unless the majority of your vines are like this and the end growth is wilting and dying; then your problem is overwatering. cut the dead parts away and go down to one less watering. the plants will come back. with the damage you describe- you can be really meticulous if you want-move the vine carefully around until gravity holds the rent closed. then wrap brown paper or masking tape over these areas, not tightly, just as a cover. this will fall off the next couple of times you water and help hold the rent together against wind rock long enough for it to heal.
pumpkins are really forgiving plants, though, and as ive said before, a pumpkin vine is just an annual- perfect looking plants do not mean more or better fruit. a plant showing normal garden wear and tear will produce just as well. you can still end up with enough punkies off one plant for halloween and pies.
you shouldn't need to worry about pollination (unless this is something special between you and your curcurbitae.) still, you're doing it exactly the right way!

[Harpua]

I enjoy pollinating the plants, but I have gotten lazy. We have some sea lavendar directly next to the plants and the bees are always going crazy.

How many pumpkins would you saw are good for one vine? 3? 4? I want decent sized pumpkins for carving. I have 2 other plants as well.

I have about 4 growing on one vine, so I clipped off some of the off shoots and dead flowers. I suppose I should make some compost tea soon and maybe feed with some blood meal. What do you think?

[redace1960]

a good yield per plant is anywhere from four to ten. other than some preliminary bed prep i don't baby my plants....here in zone 8 in heavy clay
'sugar pie' gave me a uniform seven per plant. 'french market' gave me five , the first three picture perfect and the last two being kind of mutated. 'jack o' lantern' gave me eight to ten, on the medium side with the last couple not maturing in time for halloween. i don't grow dills atlantic giant because a. its useless b. i dont have the room and c.theres something creepy about a vegetable big enough to house quintuplets. my favorite so far is sugar pie because it has the best flavor, and you can line up the little leftover punkies and spell words on halloween, one punkin per letter. yeah, im a dork.
as far as feeding goes, i gotta let someone else answer that.