Sex in the garden

(I'm talking pumpkin fertilization)

Look at how our pumpkin vine has grown!

It is covered in male and female blossoms.

The male blossoms are found close to the core of the plant and are born on long, slender stems.

The female blossoms are found farther out on the vine and have a little pumpkin bud beneath it, a bud that will only continue to grow if it is fertilized with pollen from the male blossom.

This is the stigma of a female flower:

And this is the anther of a male:

To ensure pollination, this morning Cyrus took a fresh, bright male flower off the vine, stripped the petals away, and rubbed the male anthers on the stigma of a fresh and bright female.

I can't wait to be posting progress photographs of how big the pumpkins are!