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Rhode Island

some suggestions for the newer growers as you get into september and want to have good finishing numbers

this time of year most plants are looking pretty beat before the pumpkin and much better after
the fruits daily growth are on the way down and theres not much you can do to prevent this however

a few things that will keep the drop from being so drastic
( an average size ag should still give you a minimum of 150 to a max of 250 lbs in sept )

take your shade protection down and let the sun help keep the fruit warm in the day time ( on cold days leave the below suggested covering on the fruit even during the day )

blanket heavy at night (electric on low, standard heavy blankets,or padded moving blankets
then lay a plastic cover over the blanket to help hold in the heat and also keep the blankets dry during rain

continue to fertilize and water first two weeks of sept at half the rate you normally use

h2o only from mid sept on out ( very important to keep the fruit evenly wartered as you would during the regular season so that a heavy rain storm will not cause a sudden surge in growth ( if your nursing a fruit with a dangerous stem split you can cut away several side vines before a big storm to also prevent a surge in growth

if your real energetic you can lay a covering of remay over the plant to resist an early frost

if your starting to loose the base or even a section of the main due to a bacterial rot dont be afraid to cut out the rotting area ,as long as the pumpkin is hooked up to some vines it will not suffer a loose in weight
( better to save the fruit rather than run the risk of loosing the fruit --- disease can travel fast down the main )

our 2003 500 wallace seed stock (898 x 845)is a good example of this
the fruit sat hooked up to a 8 ft piece of main with a half dozen leaves from late july into late sept and its seeds have produce some big pumpkins in new england

good luck everyone

pap

8/26/2005 6:45:00 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Awesome info!

8/26/2005 6:51:42 AM

Berlin,mi.([email protected])

Thanks Pap. Some real good info.

8/26/2005 7:16:06 AM

Cornelius, Oregon

This time of year I actually increase watering to prepare the plants for the inevitable fall rains the Pacific Northwest gets. At this point in the season, your want your plant to have no "Shocks to the System" I also go to the heavier blankets for insulation not only from the cold, but from the heat as well as our temps in Oregon can go from 92 during the day down to 46 at night. Older fruit do not like that. I also start reintroducing a hint of calcium nitrate and epsom salts back into the system to try and get that sept. weight gain more in the 300-400 pound range as our NW season is a bit longer. Go lightly as a split this time of year is far from fun. Slow and steady, warm and happy. Lets keep them growing and try and salvage this season, especially in the Northwest who are going to take it in the chops come weigh-off time.

8/26/2005 10:39:40 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Dick, great info thanks for the details.

Brett, nice extra details for the PNW growers (like me).

Glenn

8/26/2005 10:57:12 AM

Montoursville, PA

The thermal mass, your soil and water, becomes evenly blessed with water late, in the growing season, for reasons stated above. That coupled with the minerals likely holds a great deal, of heat..possibly more heat than the blanket covers prevent heat loss. As that heat largely rises straight up it may be a positive growth support.

The heat under my shade covers is still a noticable factor.

8/26/2005 12:29:33 PM

Midwest

Thanks Pap for sharing the info. You've helped me do some things that only an experienced grower could know about.
best wishes!
Greg

8/26/2005 2:38:17 PM

Antigonish,Nova Scotia,Canada

Thanks a lot for the very useful info.The nights are definitely getting colder around here lately.This "older" novice certainly needed this kind of advice! Best of luck to everyone,cheers, Bill

8/26/2005 8:20:29 PM

Rhode Island

folks i forgot to mention

once you go to the heavy blankets and coverings be sure to drop two or three decon mouse bait boxes around the sides of your baby
( mice are looking for a nice warm area during the cool nights and that blanket and food source are mighty tempting )

i went a tad overboard on one of my 1068 pumpkins thats doing well and also dropped a ring of moth balls around her

can you spell compulsive grower? l o l

pap

8/26/2005 8:25:25 PM

Sophia WV

Thanks PAP for the info every bit helps.

8/26/2005 10:40:19 PM

Puyallup, WA

Thank you, Dick!

8/26/2005 11:00:23 PM

Abbotsford, B.C

Definitely good, Pap! Also like that extra tidbit by Brett Hester about upping the water in preparance for the soon-coming rain, which is foretold by the forecast.

Cameron

8/27/2005 12:42:50 AM

Chico, Ca

It is still over 100F on some days here in norcal.... We keep watering at the same rate as before. We still keep tarps over our fruit during the day to keep from sunburn.
It only gets 58 or so at night so we do not worry about covering the fruit at night.

9/2/2005 11:16:56 PM

Chico, Ca

Oh and we still mist during the day.

9/2/2005 11:17:31 PM