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Minnesota([email protected])

I've noticed the 1233.5 Reiss plant I have, seems to be most affected by heat, of the three plants I have. The leaves droop even in the low 80 degree F range. It's 97 degrees right now, and they are drooping big time!
I'll admit, I haven't been giving the plants as much water as I should.
Do any other growers notice this of their 1233.5 Reiss?

6/30/2006 2:14:25 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

If you are noticing wilt due to heat does watering more often help? My brother has plants that he waters every day and has no wilt problems or heat damage to the leaves.( Temps somethime reach 92 degrees at his patch with no fog anytime of the day) If he sees some wilt coming on, he quickly waters. Is that a good plan? Our patch is in a cooler region(86 degrees being our hottest day with fog in the mornings) and have problems with heat damage to the leaves. Should we water more often? It seems like the plants have enough water with watering every other day but would it be better to water shorter every day but basically giving them the same amount of water?

Our 1233.5 Reiss does wilt a little faster than our others too. We have some heat damage on the leaves. The leaves however are much bigger than many of our other plants. Does that affect wilt?

6/30/2006 4:43:26 PM

Ohio

I got hit today with heat damage to some of my younger leaves and today was one of the coolest days we had in weeks, so go figure that one out? As soon as I got home from work and seen them getting fried I quickly water the leaves with a fine mist and cooled them down. If I would have come home two hours later I think my patch would have been burnt toast. Weird how these plants are sometimes.

Brooks

6/30/2006 5:34:08 PM

Ohio

Only plant that wasnt affected by the heat not one little bit was my 699,my other 9 plants was ether wilting or getting burnt. Its also weird how one plant can withstand the heat while the others cant. Wonder what kind of genetic in a plant makes it more heat tolerance ya think Doug? Think the cells in the plants just hold more water? Or is it just a diffrent type cell one plant has that another one doesnt? I never have understood this part of a plant.

6/30/2006 5:44:25 PM

Nashville, TN

What type of symptoms occur in the heat damaged leaves?

I've got one plant that is also stressed more than the rest when it hits the upper 90's - noticed what APPEARED to be some fungal or bacterial wilt blackening the edges of it's mature leaves (near the center of plant)... Plants on either side are fine - no disease/leaf problems spotted in my front 'lesser Maxima' patch either...

I would water long and DEEP. If you water for a short period of time - the surface will only get wet, causing a shallower root system, and much of your moisture will be baked out of the soil.

I've also had very good luck keeping my soil moisture stable with the Paper barrier + Mulch.. Don't have to water nearly as often - and my moisture probe is showing fairly stable soil moisture... The GPs can shoot their secondary roots straight through the paper - or you can simply poke some holes with you hand spade..

7/1/2006 7:13:48 AM

No Place Special

Mine is about average. With more water there is less flagging.

7/1/2006 9:18:12 AM

Colorado

my 1233 reiss does the same thing above 80 degrees, while my other plant looks great even above 90. Light misting in the afternoon seems to help a little, but not much.

7/1/2006 12:31:11 PM

Ohio

I think thats alot of it Teach, keeping a constant dampness and not to let the soil dry out completly, and maybe the more roots your plants has to suck up water the better your chances for your leaves to survive the extreme heat or atleast not to be cooked to a golden brown.

7/1/2006 9:53:11 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

I use polymer this year in the pots and in the holes to transplant the kins....My Reiss does not seem to mind the heat as much as the Kline...but I dont have the leaves I once had either.......I'm really interested in the use of the polymer....Im surprise more growers are not taking advantage of this stuff??

7/2/2006 12:31:17 AM

[email protected]

Wiz,

If one of the World Class Heavy Hitters tosses a new record breaker using polymer gel (& admits using it ;o))then for better or worse, EVERYBODY will be using it the following season.

7/2/2006 9:22:25 AM

Northern California/Coastal/Bay Area

Da-wiz
What does the polymer do to the environment after pumpkin season if over? Where does it go? Thanks

7/2/2006 11:10:03 AM

Eugene,OR

Mine wilts pretty easily, but a little misting keeps it perfect. It is a great plant and I'm expecting good things from it!

7/2/2006 11:43:04 PM

Rexburg, Idaho ([email protected] )

No wilting but its the slowest grower in the patch.

7/3/2006 12:47:01 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

The Poly is supposed to last up to 7 years keeping doing what it does, abosorb water and release is once the roots penetrate the capsule blocks, I have used it in my planters due to rapid moisture loss and it kept them longer in between waterings on hot days. Eventurally it breaks down I would imagine.....I am anxious to see how this all plans out....I even used it at the Nursery as I am not always able to get up there every nite, so far so good.

7/5/2006 9:39:13 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

PS My Reiss has its first female on it....looks like it will be about 10' out.....too bad the first 4 feet of vine are void of secondarys due to the massive hail storm...

7/5/2006 9:41:42 AM

Montoursville, PA

Above 80 degrees my Reiss plant likes the first five minutes, of every half hour,to include a sprinkle. I have had no flag condition since bringing, on the watering. It is the nicest plant I have ever grown or seen at this point in the program. Fingers crossed. We will be pollinated at 14 - 16 & 18 feet aproximately within two more days. #2 is a five lobe, in excelent vine, to stem relationship. If it stays good I shall run with #2.

7/5/2006 3:24:22 PM