LazyEngineer
500+ Posts
I have a small garden in my back yard and have been trying to grow some pumpkins this year. I planted 3 different varieties. The vines are still growing and are around 3 ft long now. Lots of male flowers, but very few female flowers.
The problems:
1. There are a bunch of small black eggs all over them. I am reluctant to spray with pesticide because I don't want to kill the bees necessary for polination.
2. Some of the leaves are starting to get some form of white powdery mold. Again, I don't want to spray because my fungicide also has insecticide and could kill my bees.
3. The female flowers aren't opening up, so I can't polinate them manually. They eventually just fall off.
Any suggestions out there as to what pumpkins should be doing right now in Austin? I had similar problems with squash earlier this year. This is getting really frustrating.
The problems:
1. There are a bunch of small black eggs all over them. I am reluctant to spray with pesticide because I don't want to kill the bees necessary for polination.
2. Some of the leaves are starting to get some form of white powdery mold. Again, I don't want to spray because my fungicide also has insecticide and could kill my bees.
3. The female flowers aren't opening up, so I can't polinate them manually. They eventually just fall off.
Any suggestions out there as to what pumpkins should be doing right now in Austin? I had similar problems with squash earlier this year. This is getting really frustrating.
