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Pumpkins rotting

RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 256
edited July 2018 in Problem solving
3 days after I pollinate the female flower with the male the fruit begins to quickly rot. I've had three go this way. After the first two I cut back some of the foliage to let more light onto the fruit, but it still began to rot. Now I'm wondering if its because there's just not enough air flow. Unfortunately I didn't foresee my potato foliage getting so big, and it ended up flopping over and tangling itself with the pumpkin. I don't have a big greenhouse, and the container that the potatoes is isn't very deep so putting canes in isn't likely to work (the ones I did put in couldn't take the weight of the potato foliage).

What can be done? Should I try to heavily prune the pumpkin foliage? Worse case, just rip the pumpkin out. I have one growing outside anyway. 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,138
    edited July 2018
    If the potatoes are in a container can you not drag it outside?

    Absolutely no need to grow potatoes in a greenhouse ... a waste of precious space. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 256
    Dovefromabove said:
    If the potatoes are in a container can you not drag it outside?

    Absolutely no need to grow potatoes in a greenhouse ... a waste of precious space. 
    Nope. Far too heavy. Plus as I said the foliage is huge. I'd risk breaking it if I tried. The greenhouse is 6x4 so it'd be extremely tricky!
  • FireFire Posts: 17,377
    Good to know for next year.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,718
    edited July 2018
    I'm going to say patience, even though you have manually pollinated that's a classic sign of lack of pollination. The fruit do not need sun on them, certainly not at that stage. How hot is it getting in there? Excess heat can cause pollen to fail, other than that try fertilising it with a flower from the other plant.
    What type of pumpkin is it? They really are not suitable for a greenhouse the plant will get huge. and if it's even a "pie" pumpkin the fruit will need to be on the ground, they easily get 5kg+
    The other thing I would say is get that potato out of there, I think I can see tomato leaves in the background and you really do not want lack of air movement to help blight come on the potato and then onto the tomato.
    Right now I am seeing the first late blight on my outside potatoes. Which means no going from field to greenhouses without a full change of clothes.
  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 256
    Skandi said:
    I'm going to say patience, even though you have manually pollinated that's a classic sign of lack of pollination. The fruit do not need sun on them, certainly not at that stage. How hot is it getting in there? Excess heat can cause pollen to fail, other than that try fertilising it with a flower from the other plant.
    What type of pumpkin is it? They really are not suitable for a greenhouse the plant will get huge. and if it's even a "pie" pumpkin the fruit will need to be on the ground, they easily get 5kg+
    The other thing I would say is get that potato out of there, I think I can see tomato leaves in the background and you really do not want lack of air movement to help blight come on the potato and then onto the tomato.
    Right now I am seeing the first late blight on my outside potatoes. Which means no going from field to greenhouses without a full change of clothes.

    Thanks for the helpful reply! It doesn't get too hot. I leave the roof vent open, and leave the door open too on hot days like these past weeks.

    I can't remember the name of the pumpkin. Only it began with "U" and has a nutty flavour.

    I can't get the potato out. I've said already its too heavy. The best I can do is cut the foliage down by, at the most, half. I've been in today and done some pruning to the tomato and potato. I'm hoping if I cut the potato foliage down by half the potatoes will still grow.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,718
    Uchiki kuri Probably then, around 1.5kg each fruit, Not too heavy.

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731
    What, if anything, could you move outside? It all looks very cramped and potatoes, in that enclosed environment, are a risky proposition, especially for the toms. As Skandi says, the pumpkin looks like it wasn't properly pollinated. That happens, even with hand pollination.
  • Jason-3Jason-3 Posts: 391
    That looks like a form of blossom rot. Its normally caused by over watering and or poor ventilation. Pumpkins are realy too big for the area you are trying to grow them. Pumpkins are very large plants and need room to grow...can they not be moved outside into bigger pots ?

    Not to be a harbinger of doom but I fail to see how you will get any decent fruits with the setup you currently have. Just simply not enough room
  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 256


    Just a quick update peeps. I noticed today the pumpkin I'm growing outside has a nice healthy fruit growing! I'm giving the pumpkin inside one more chance before ripping it out.
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