Pumpkin Help!

[houstongardennewb]

It's my first time growing pumpkins (big max), and I noticed my pumpkins are upright and not sprawling on the ground, like what I've seen in other videos. Also, I have only seen 2 female flowers, and one already looks to be wilting. Am I doing something wrong? I live in Houston (very hot and humid) and I sowed these about 5 weeks ago.

 

[houstongardennewb]

I've attached a few pictures

 

[Meadowlark]

It's just too hot. Pumpkins shut down growth above 91 deg. F and I haven't seen a day since May that didn't get well above 91 deg and few days recently below 100 deg. The Big pumpkins are especially adversely affected by the heat.

The only way I've been successful at growing pumpkins in this area is to select a small variety and start them the first week in August. Even at that it helps to have an August/Sept storm from the Gulf to knock those daytime highs down a bit before the cool fronts start coming through. After that it becomes a race against first frost.

The only thing you are doing wrong likely is beyond your control...the heat wave.

 

[houstongardennewb]

Oh thank you very much! That makes sense, I didn't do very much research and just went with it. Would these plants eventually flower and produce once the cooler temperatures hit, or would I be better scrapping them?

 

[Meadowlark]

In my experience, no they will not ever produce pumpkins...but you can give it a try, nothing to lose. Maybe put up some late afternoon shade.