Water as needed, adding balanced soluble fertilizer to water once per week. Control weeds with mulching, shallow cultivation, and hand weeding as necessary. Remember, shallow roots may extend 4 ft. The plant should blossom and set fruit between July 1 and 20. Male blossom will appear first.
Males are on long stems with a rod like structure inside the flower which is coated with pollen.
The first open male flowers will generally be towards the center of the plant. The first female flower to open will be out from the center of the plant on one of the vigorously growing vines. In the absence of bee activity or to get an earlier set, the grower my hand pollinate a newly opened female blossom with several of the fresh male flowers. Pick several newly opened male flowers and tear away the yellow flower portion, exposing the pollen bearing stamen . Leave part of the stem to use as a handle and gently roll the pollen from the males onto the stigma in the center of the newly opened female blossom.