SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -An uncommonly wet spring delayed pumpkin planting this year, pushing back the entire cycle. Pumpkins are normally planted in late May through early June.

With pumpkins being planted earlier than normal, they were exposed to extreme heat earlier. This was not only damaging to the pumpkin crop, but also meant they were not pollinated as usual.

“So it just affects the pollination, and they don’t set on well. You can have nice, vigorous vines, but they just don’t set fruit early on,” explained Dan Bigbee, owner of Fassnight Creek Farm.

The lack of pollination meant that some vines produced no pumpkins at all. However, some were still able to produce buds.

Despite the irrigation systems used by several pumpkin farmers, issues persisted with the summer drought.

“I ha

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