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British Columbia, Canada

I'm curious to know how the number of lobes on a pumpkin affects its size? I've always been told that more is better but have never really understood why.

6/9/2018 6:52:09 PM

Western Massachusetts

The 2145 McMullen was a 4 lobe, only 87 days old. (I think). The 2624 was a 6 lobe, over 100 days old. I say anything 3 or more probably doesn't effect much.

6/9/2018 7:58:52 PM

Grittyville, WA

Lobes = ovaries = empty hollow space. For a world record you would want more sepals or flower petals I think... because more of these = more ribs = more weight. In theory.

6/9/2018 8:42:35 PM

Grittyville, WA

Search for sepals for an old thread I posted. 2118 Jutras was only four lobes/ovaries.

6/9/2018 8:46:38 PM

Sometimes Inn

lobes do not = ovaries

6/9/2018 10:11:04 PM

Colorado

I think lobe # affects shape . More lobes make taller fruit . 3 and 4 lobe =longer fruit

6/10/2018 12:08:49 AM

Wisconsin

Dr. Baduchi must be a gynocologist

6/10/2018 3:27:00 AM

Upa Creek, MO

My pkn on my 1674 Marsh is a 4 lobe long flying saucer this year. My 816 Gansert is all short and symmetrical 5 lobes. HD would go to the symmetry, but the max weight is ideal with the Marsh. Got to also watch out for the redneck tooth lobes, those pkns tend to split by day 40.

6/10/2018 8:11:16 AM

Sometimes Inn

Dissections are used frequently for diagnosis.

6/10/2018 10:27:42 AM

Wisconsin

Its fun to talk about and everything but the long and short of it is, you basically only get 1 or 2 choices in your ideal zone for pollination and you get what u get.

6/10/2018 2:05:30 PM

Grittyville, WA

True for us mortals but 4 some very special guys the ideal zone includes side vines...

6/10/2018 3:11:09 PM

Grittyville, WA

The strongest side vine should be considered an option also but if you remove all the tertiaries early its hard to see which side vine is the strongest. Whichever pushes tertiaries the way the main pushes secondaries... Thats your third good option.

6/10/2018 3:18:02 PM

Grittyville, WA

...Some guy grew a big & orange 2106 lb. pumpkin off one of those.

6/10/2018 3:25:15 PM

Deer Park, WI

To my knowledge, there is no evidence, scientific or anecdotal, that suggests any combination of lobe count is superior to any other lobe count.

The gynecological insights of the good Dr. Baduchi are correct, lobes are not at all reflective of ovule count.

I agree with Mr. Scherber that lobe count affects fruit shape, but to what extent includes many more factors than simply count.

Ovule/seed count is not tied to any phenotypic (observable) characteristic that we as growers can look at and attempt to draw conclusions about.

The one aspect of control that I believe we do have influence over as it relates to the female floral structure, that may impact fruit size, is the completeness of pollination.

Lobes receive pollen (duh). Pollen grains grow little tunnels thru the lobes and into the baby pumpkin. These tubes link up with the ovules (pre-seeds) and deliver their genetic package in a strikingly similar way male and female humans complete their fertilization process. :)

A successfully pollinated/fertilized ovule develops (maybe) into a viable seed. During this process, each seed collectively contributes to the overall "sink strenghth" of the pumpkin.

You want maximum sink strength, as this is is the chemical message the fruit sends to the rest of the plant to insist that water and nutrients are sent its way.

Thus, back to what we can control- thorough, complete pollination of the lobes ensures as many pollen tubes as possible are sent into the baby pumpkin too fertilize as many ovules as possible.

Perfect your pumpkin humping craft for a maximally fulfilling fertilization experience!

6/13/2018 7:40:50 AM

Syracuse, NY

Okay, where's the FEMALE voice in my head, when I need it?

6/13/2018 2:42:31 PM

Grittyville, WA

What does that mean pumpkinpal? Lol well it would take some form of anatomy to go with a three lober like Bubba had this year. But who knows & the only certain thing no one will ever grow a 2k kin off a three lober if no one ever tries. I have heard a pumpkin legend about less lobes going heavier to chart maybe someone who wants to go heavy will take a chance on a three lober.

6/13/2018 3:30:15 PM

Syracuse, NY

sorry, can't get past not wanting to hear a man's voice saying 'ovule'...not even Joe's, lol---ewww...seems like once, i may have had a trilobular floweral appendage (yes, i'll check to see if trilobular is a word, lol)...Holy Moley, i made it up and it IS a word! well, the other one was not. oh, well. one for two, life's usual odds. anyway, i think a trilobe would be neat, if nothing else. what i may do as an experiment that has probably been done before is apply as little pollen as possible to a stigma and see how FEW seeds i can produce, whilst still having a 500-pounder or greater in the process. i'll name her 'Peach'...to confuse the judges, but, WE will know, lol---eg

6/14/2018 3:36:32 AM

Grittyville, WA

Tri is rare... I'd guess odds at one in fifty or one in a hundred on a main... Maybe one in ten or one in twenty on a secondary. Try that idea Eric & post the results...!

6/14/2018 4:37:32 AM

Springfield, VT

My experience has been more lobes mean high tall pumpkins with a tendency of being wheels but not always it could also be long. 3 or 4 lobes usually are long and low but can have tall fruit.

6/14/2018 10:27:09 AM

Syracuse, NY

i have TWO lobes, one on each side! i got 'em all beat. i'm usually happy to see 5 lobes, 'cause that USED to be the preferred number years ago.

6/14/2018 7:56:56 PM