Pumpkin fruit dropping off

[johnk]

Does anyone know why my pumpkins should drop off the plant when still very small, none have suvived so far. They start off Ok then get to smaller than a tennis ball and drop off??

[Clanad]

At first blush, I'd say the female flowers that produce the pumpins are not getting pollinated. Here, in the U.S., we've found that the CCS (Colony Collapse Syndrome) among the honeybees (going on for about 5 years now) have affected lots of normally producing crops. You may have to learn how to hand pollinate with a small paintbrush next year if you don't notice bees and other insects hovering over the very noticeable male flowers (they come on about 10 days or so before the females and stick up above the leaves of the plant.)

Additionally, pumpkins often are affected by lack of consistent water (rain) availability. If you had several days of no water just after the blooming of the male flowers that could be the culprit.

Anyway, there's always next year, no?

[johnk]

I'll try that, still have some new females coming through but probably too late to fruit but iwill try and pollinate and see hat happens, Thanks