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Hadley Ny

Last year I pollinated early morning. I also love to fish. I plan on being on the lake at daylight and home to pollinate when I have to. Normally home by 10-11 AM. Will be pollinating for the next couple weeks. Is that time to late? Just started pollinations but will probably have several a day for a while.

7/11/2017 5:02:29 PM

Randlett, Oklahoma

What is your temperature at that time of day. Also a very important factor

7/11/2017 5:08:48 PM

Hadley Ny

Where I'm located in the Adirondack Mts in a river valley I'm generally pretty cool. My highest temp this year hasn't even hit 80. I'm shading the kins also. Night time temps are a consistent low to mid 50s. Only need to travel 10 miles to the nearest small city at a lower elevation and they're 10 degrees warmer. Had my highest nighttime temp this morning at 60.

7/11/2017 5:47:46 PM

Tinykinville

If I could always choose id go for 8 or 9 but ive pollinated as early as 530 and as late as 1130 and have had the pumpkins take.

7/11/2017 6:27:11 PM

Bethlehem CT

Brooks B use to pollinate his before his early a.m. job. He would have to bring the males in and get them to open, so the pollen would be ready. Then carefully tear/open the female and pollinate it.

7/11/2017 6:36:38 PM

Bethlehem CT

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=352393

I have gotten pollen ready by putting the male flowers under a warm incandescent light bulb for an hour or two. The pollen becomes loose and ready to dust onto the female lobes.

7/11/2017 6:39:29 PM

Plainville, Connecticut 06062

The major problem in my opinion with late morning pollinations is the pollen from the males. If you ever check open males late in the morning you will find that a lot of there pollen has already dried up. The fresher the pollen the better your chances are of the pumpkin getting set. Personally in my opinion I would not pollinate past 10:00 AM unless you have to then check your pollen on the males you are going to use. I believe 6-8 AM is the sweet period to pollinate.

7/11/2017 6:41:17 PM

Hadley Ny

Reason for later pollination is the lake gets crazy by 9-10 o'clock. If I pollinated early there's no sense going fishin' and that ain't happenin'. I can always leave fishin' early because I generally limit out in less than two hours and then catch and release. Males are cut and inside and the female is tied off. Did find using a zip tie backwards is great. That way it doesn't lock. First time today and it was so easy and reusable.

7/11/2017 8:15:01 PM

Randlett, Oklahoma

try it both ways? 5am and when you get back at 11? I agree that I have the most success before 8am. I don't think I would shade the kins if I lived in your climate.

7/11/2017 10:39:19 PM

Deer Park WA

You only have one or two fruit per plant so... Pollination takes what 3 - 4 days from fishing time over a 5 month season? Gotta have your priorities I guess.

We lije to pollinate when the morning temps are above 60 and beiow 75.

Cheers~ Gerry

7/12/2017 1:11:31 AM

Hadley Ny

Looks like I'll be fishin' at 5:30 until 8:30 and home by 9;00 to pollinate. Pollinated this morning and on my way fishin', until the Lake gets crazy.

7/12/2017 6:29:55 AM

Central Illinois

Has anyone went out very early in the morning and cut open a male and female flower and set the male down onto the female blossom.Anyone still have flowers they could try this on.

7/12/2017 8:51:06 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

First world problems....

7/12/2017 9:04:28 AM

Winston Salem, NC

first world or not....i'm jealous of this problem

7/12/2017 2:40:17 PM

Hadley Ny

Retirement sucks with the decisions you have to make...trying to make things work. Two of my three favorite hobbies happen this time of year ...the other comes with opening of hunting season in early fall. I fish all year long..love Ice Fishin"

7/12/2017 3:17:35 PM

Ontario, Canada

What are you fishing for Big T?

7/13/2017 9:27:08 AM

Hadley Ny

Mostly trolling rapalas for Smallmouth and Lagemouth Bass. Will pick up an occasional Northern Pike, perch, rockbass and PUMPKINSEED. PS I really don't go Fishin'..I go Catchin'. Sometimes I only troll one rod instead of two because it,s a pain with fish on both rods. When you hit a school you normally end up with two on. Love It Pics in my diary of openin' day.

7/13/2017 9:55:43 AM

Partlow,Va

Baitman That is exactly what I do. I leave for work at sunup this time of year so I'm pollinating at 5:50.I have to open both flowers (usually the males are just peeking open)and I break the bloom on the female most every time. For me I learned early is better, by 9am or its too late.

7/13/2017 11:11:15 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Big T, I'm 39 and get the dilemma. Ive been on Table rock lake 3 miles north of the Arkansas border the last 5 days and missed multiple backup pollinations. Im with my young boys and daughter so we've been doing Panfish like Bluegill and Pumpkinseeds. Temps have been at 95-100 the past few days where I live so I'm already asuming all is aborted. lol, and that's me crying.

7/13/2017 10:37:45 PM

Ontario, Canada

Sounds like some good catching. LOL. What lake are you fishing on?

We have a place like that as well. Our 87 acre hunting camp has a small 100 acre lake behind it in a Provincial Park that is only accessible though my land, so no one gets on the lake besides us & the odd adventurous hikers. Lake is full of LM bass. Catching is crazy stupid. If you drop 4' of line over the edge of the boat, you'll catch a bass. I always said "if you can't catch 30+ fish in the early morning, your not trying". The best part is that they love black plastic worms, so you can leave the tackle box at home as you only need to carry a couple hooks & sinkers, a bag of worms & a fishing rod & you can fish all day long. We practice live release, so the fishing is always awesome.
Keep your rod,
Phil & Jane

7/14/2017 10:38:08 AM

Hadley Ny

Lake George...32 miles long, 2.5 miles wide at the widest point and 200' deep...Mostly spring fed..pristine water..in the middle of the Adirondack Mts. Crazy in the summer as it is a vacation/tourist destination but from early fall to spring only the locals are around. That is my reason for fishing early when everybody is still sleeping and then getting back to take care of my kins.

7/14/2017 1:02:33 PM