A Puzzlement!

Located across from the pond in the back yard is our compost pile. Last fall I threw the Halloween pumpkins into this area. Lo and behold, this summer the pumpkin started growing and is now spreading toward the house. I hope that we do not get strangled some night by this alien type plant. (No- it is different from the man eating plant in The Little Shop of Horrors.)

The puzzlement is that although this is a healthy plant and has wonderful blooms (the size of a salad plate) ....


..there is never a pumpkin forming. You will notice below that we have excellent flower buds; however, the flowers fall off without a fruit forming. Notice the stem that is barren above the first flower bud to your left. This stalk at one time had a beautiful flower adorning the apex of this stem.


So why are pumpkins not forming?

Our Facebook friends have tried to help. Here are a few suggestions.

Pix wondered if it needed a mate. NOPE, THE PLANT IS MONECIOUS AND HAS BOTH SEXES ON EACH FLOWER.

Bill said that a soil rich in fertilizer may cause this. NOPE, THE SOIL IS CLAY AND HAS NOT BEEN ENRICHED.

Ron said that you have heard of seedless pumpkins and that this must be grown from a pumpkin-less seed. CLEVER.

Keith said " Fall before last, I discarded unused whole pumpkins from Halloween on the bank behind the house. In the spring I had pumpkin vines come up and they bloomed all summer with no pumpkins. Same situation." GOTTA LOVE THIS GUY- MYSTERY LOVES COMPANY.

Chuck related a similar story. " Had the same issue with zuchinni. My "farming for city folk" book told me to look for a long things on one plant and introduce it to the short thingies on the other plants. Fortunately the drought took all of the plants before we got this intimate. I THINK THIS IS NORTH CAROLINA TALK FOR DESCRIBING A DIOECIOUS PLANT. (Takes 2 plants to tango! Well, pollinate.) NOPE, THEY ARE DEFINITELY MONECIOUS- I CHECKED CAREFULLY THEIR "PRIVATE PARTS".

Marge is certain that the plant is.."COMING TO GET US!"

Gordon suggested that rabbits must be eating the blooms. NOT SO, SINCE THE TIPS SHOW NO SIGNS OF CHEWAGE (my new word).

Davis said that it is just an artificial vine.

Betty may have the best suggestion of all in that it may be a hybrid.

OK- What is your opinion?? Will keep you informed if we are finally parents to a bouncing yellow orb.