pumpkin plant no fruit

Question

Why do we have huge leaves and many yellow flowers but no fruit yet on my pumpkin vines? My granddaughter, aged 5, and I planted the seeds from her jack o lantern. She is excited about the long trailing vines and big leaves but disappointed no fruit yet. There are thick green stems like we have seen on store bought pumpkins but the green stems seem to break open or look like they have been chewed on. We live near woods. Is there an animal possibly eating our stems? Thank you so much, as I hope to teach the child about gardening.

Answer 1

There could be a few issues with the pumpkins.
Flowering and lack of pollination may be a likely cause of no pumpkins forming.
You can try self pollinating by brushing the pollen from one flower to the next with a small brush.
Animals love to dine on pumpkin vines and pumpkins, but the damage you describe may be a Squash Borer.
Pumpkins need a lot of water to form.
Here are some links with more information and hopefully, fingers crossed a pumpkin may form.
I hope this helps for next years garden (don’t give up!–if you it makes you feel any better–my 6 plants this year, I got 2 pumpkins!)
Hopefully a fun trip to a pumpkin patch this Fall can save the lack of pumpkins!

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/pumpkin/pumpkin-growing-tips-for-halloween-pumpkins.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/pumpkin/pumpkin-growing.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/pumpkin/saving-pumpkin-seeds-how-to-store-pumpkin-seed-for-planting.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/squash-pests-identifying-and-preventing-squash-vine-borer.htm