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Nc

I have a small crack where the stem meets my pumpkin. I have pasted it with Captan(which I read about here) but it still seems to be oozing some yellow junk?

I was thinking of puttting a bit of latex caulk in the crack. Any opinions on whether this would be a good or bad idea?

8/24/2005 9:22:05 PM

don't caulk it or put anything on it besides a little fungicide. you want to let it air out and dry. some people like to set up a small fan blowing air towards the split.

8/24/2005 9:38:56 PM

Rhode Island

The yellow junk is normal!!!!
Just wipe it off and keep up with the captan!
and yes air it out with a fan if possible..a little 10% bleach and water mix after you wipe will help to....before the captan!
welcome to the world of keeping the giants alive!!!!!

8/24/2005 10:20:51 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

My son's pumpkin developed a small crack on the top of the stem, and we treated it with daconil. We did put a little caulk on it because rain is forecast for the next 24 hours. We don't want the hole filling up with rain and getting some decay started. Once the rain is over, we will remove the caulk and treat with more daconil.

8/24/2005 10:25:24 PM

caro mi.

iowegian ..is that the fungaside were suppose to be spraying on leaves ??....and if it is do you thin it out with water and how much......lol .if this is what you do , do you clean the steam up first , i been putting a garden sulfur on my stem cracks not sure if this is helping ....id except any advice on it . thanks Dan

8/24/2005 10:50:08 PM

Bobcaygeon Ontario

I use garden sulfer mixed with water to make a paste and fill any cracks or holes. Works for me. I used caulking once this year on a stem split and won't ever again, it doesn't let the split dry and caused rot. Luckily I peeled it off, scraped out the mush and applied the sulfer and it dried out nicely.I understand some growers use fish tank caulking with some success but I would use that only if the split threatens to open to the cavity.Just my thoughts ;0)

8/25/2005 8:32:22 AM

Decatur, IL

I've used Captan and Sulfur in the past with mixed results. I've been using Ortho Daconil straight from the bottle and painting it on suspect cracks, etc. for the first time this year. Seems to work great.
Charlie

8/25/2005 8:42:44 AM

Cologne / Germany

Resin from my fir tree. Worked excellent for all sorts of splits.

8/25/2005 8:46:24 AM

Commack, NY

if its oozing you need to dry it. dont mix any pastes, they contain moisture. you need to air it out. dust it lightly, get a fan on it, and keep your fingers crossed.

8/25/2005 8:48:31 AM

Ontario, Canada.

For a stem split, I used a captan paste this year after a quick cleansing of 10% bleach solution and water. It has worked well for me. I believe it maybe better to use just a dusting and the cleansing along with good aeration.

Caulking is best used only on blossom end splits. A pumpkin stem spli filled with caulking would be ruled exhibtion only at most weigh-off sites.

8/25/2005 9:04:15 AM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

For spraying on leaves I dilute the daconil according to label instructions. For cracks or other damage, I painted it on straight from the bottle. It worked quite well on a couple of sunburn spots that blisterd and started to get some mold. I sometimes tkae a little juice form a culled pumpkin to make a natural "scab" over a would. That worked for me last year.

8/25/2005 10:13:51 AM

My thoughts on calking/siliconing/whatever IF the crack does not go through to the cavity:

You know how when you put a bandaid on a cut, it stays moist and doesn't form a scab as quickly? Well, the scab is what protects it while it's healing. If you take the bandaid off and let it air out, a scab will form.
AIR = SCAB = HEAL
Now apply that to pumpkins.

8/25/2005 5:31:53 PM

caro mi.

Thanks for the advice guys, i cleaned all the sulphur out, and the splits got wider .... about a quarter inch wide and deep in about three places around base of stem. I f you have seen duchenes grower diary , looks like that just not as wide . My next question is a pumpkin with a deep stem split qaulify it as a exabition or is it still a competition pumpkin / thanks Dan

8/25/2005 8:29:36 PM

Puyallup, WA

The split cannot be open into the cavity of the pumpkin. The split will be probed with a small wire at the weigh-off to see if there is any resistence prior to entering the main cavity.

8/27/2005 1:26:52 AM

Montoursville, PA

The pumpkin will self caulk it's own normal growth cracks. Fresh dry air is what causes that caulk, to become effective.

8/27/2005 7:49:28 AM

Montoursville, PA

Splits that show rot are another consideration. Here you may wisely use natural or synthetic fungicides to some advantage. Keeping the damage free to dry up and heal is still likely the most important factor.

8/27/2005 7:52:19 AM