Overnight rain requires extra prep if I have any female flowers due to bloom. Pumpkin flowers bloom for a brief span of hours early in the morning, and rain during that time interferes with pollination. Upright, open flowers can fill up with water, which washes away pollen, which is probably why bee activity is also way down when everything's wet. So, the ladies needed raincoats put on last night pre bloom. That means it's 100% of me to hand pollinate, and that means I have to remember to seal a male flower as well so that I have some dry pollen to work with.

It has been quite hot this week, which can really interfere with female blooms. But if that does open, I may get my first pumpkin on the books this week.

No longer so sure about that first Kakai; however, the same vine has a couple more females ready to go already, possibly tomorrow!

I like how these look like they're taken in completely different climates and seasons instead of 5 feet and minutes apart in my garden yesterday

So Pipsqueaks and Renegades are dropping their blossoms left and right because the nights are too warm, meanwhile Pyrolga opens the very first one. 90 low. What a legend

We stan an indecisive queen or whatever the kids are saying now

Double feature this morning, two Pipsqueaks finally bloomed!

Happy August! Good milestones in the patch today, we're getting to the fun part now. First male flowers are looking ready to bloom perhaps as early as tomorrow (Renegade) and I also just spotted the first itty bitty female bud (Pipsqueak).