How do I make sure my pumpkin flowers will be pollinated?

Question

I have tried and tried last season and not one pumpkin=(

Answer 1

How to pollinate the flowers to get pumpkins. I'll explain... there are 2 different kinds of flowers, and both kinds occur on one plant. There are male flowers, and female flowers. Only the female flowers may develop into pumpkins. The males never will. As a plant is growing, it first develops male flowers only. They will open and die without being of much use (they only last 1 day each). Shortly (another week or so), the plant will grow and mature a bit more and start to have female flowers as well as males. The females are usually further out on the vine. By the first week in July, you should be close to having female flowers if you don't have them already. If you will go to the site below it will show pictures of how to hand polinate your pumpkins. Good luck!