I have to admit, I was getting a little nervous.  We had so many male blossoms blooming, each for only one day, and NO female blossoms.  It made kindergarten students and I think just how miraculous nature is.  Both the female and male blossoms need to be in bloom and insects need to be around to pollinate the female blossoms.  It is amazing that we have pumpkins at all!

We were all so excited to see our first female bud on Friday.  Since then I have spotted two more, very tiny, but thankfully, female buds.  There are still male buds on the plants, day 119, and we hope they will be open when the females bloom.  I am looking forward to pollinating the females.  They each have 5 stamen.  Each needs to be pollinated by the pollen from the male stamen.

The kindergarten children keep asking me if I am dressing up as a bee when I pollinate.  I think antenna is as far as I will go … I need to concentrate on pollinating and not be encumbered by a costume.

We will keep you posted on further developments.  The children and I are loving each new development in our scientific endeavor to grow pumpkins in the library in the winter in New England!

Happy Reading and Learning!

the Kindergarten Scientists and Mrs. Chase