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New Castle, Pa.

Saturday morning I awoke to a 4" long split on the blossom end of of my best growing pumpkin. It was bad, all the way into the seed cavity and about a 1/2" wide. I applied a paste of captan to the split and filled it with expandable foam insulation from a spray can. Yesterday and today I have been caulking between the foam and the pumpkin where it has been pulling away due to growth. The local Lawrence Co. Pa. Fair is next week and I would like to exhibit it there if I can keep it going. Its currently about 112" in circumference and still on the vine and gaining a couple of inches a day since the split. What can I expect as far as keeping it going till next week?

8/7/2006 8:52:43 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Once the split is to the cavity...it's pretty much over. try and keep it going to get the seeds to maturity but with this heat the smell will be evident soon. wouldn't be surprised to see some of the seeds already germinating once you cut it open...Good Luck!

8/7/2006 9:12:11 PM

New Castle, Pa.

Thanks for the reply, I knew it was over when I looked into the crack and saw the seeds. Other than keeping the air out of the cavity any suggestions on keeping it going to get the seeds to maturity? Also how do I know when the seeds are mature?

Tim

8/7/2006 9:54:28 PM

Iowa

two years ago i was lucky enough to work with dan carson as part of the carlson/petersen team our 1432 split when it was est. at 1000 pounds....we caulked it and then acuually grew for another 3 week untill it reached 1432. then it sat in the garage for another couple of weeks after that! if you are able to keep it sealed you are good for awhile....thats the key...if you were about to see seeds in side the pumpkin that would kind of scare me if i were trying to save it.
so that my 2 cents worth.....caulk it and keep it sealed and you'll be ok!!

8/7/2006 10:14:31 PM

[email protected]

I would try sealing the crack ASAP with a latex caulk (not silicone). I've never done it, but IF the breach is sealed soon enough (ie before a pathogen enters the cavity) the fruit *could* grow on to finish. That's a very big IF though.

8/7/2006 10:58:56 PM

[email protected]

Larry Checkon did it in 1999 with his 1190 pound fruit, and it lasted another 3 weeks I believe to get to scales and get a weight. His wife Gerry took world record that year with the "backup plant" that measured 1131. The 1190 was sealed with some type of plumbers calk.

8/7/2006 11:17:42 PM

Simi valley, ca

with splits hours or minuts count but still can go a bit farther last yr i had one at 483 on day 33 & split on blossem end it kept going untill it got 760 it grew slower but kept going for 3 more weeks

8/7/2006 11:56:10 PM

Western NY

Steve - why not sillicone? i think that's what i've been using, but i'll have to check.

8/8/2006 9:07:20 AM

Montoursville, PA

You bet it's a very big if. Once a crack is made that the pumpkin can not heal itself....church is about out, no matter what you do. I would caulk, to save one, a couple of weeks, for yard carving. Otherwise I would get out the butcher knife and return it, to the compost pile. I have done both. I used sillicone. Gave me a couple, of weeks.

8/8/2006 9:24:55 AM

Cologne Brescia Italy

Andy, not silicone, because it is acetic and you can do a salad with your pumpkin (I think)last year I have cotrolled
a split with acrilic silicon

8/8/2006 11:24:44 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Wow three weeks is a long time..my only experience was with a near full term pumpkin so the pinhole wentthrough and everything stopped. good luck...

8/8/2006 12:09:02 PM

Oz

It is a gonner.I have tried wall plaster.
or glass block mortar.

8/8/2006 8:23:31 PM

New Castle, Pa.

Thanks for all the replys.

I'm curious, is it mostly pathogens entering the cavity that cause the decay or is it the the gases that escape from the inside of the pumpkin?

I'm thinking the chemical make up of the inside atmosphere of the seed cavity differs greatly from the outside air.

Any thoughts on this?

Tim

8/8/2006 8:36:37 PM

Montoursville, PA

To much nitrogen from any source or combination sources. Cells grow elongated and do not have time, to strengthen. That's one possible cause.

8/8/2006 9:02:36 PM

[email protected]

Tim,

I'm not sure that a gas extraction of a sound cavity has ever been done. Your idea is intriguing. Perhaps there is some gas inside the fruit that helps keep diseases at bay...but I doubt it. Most gasses (C02, ethylene, etc) that affect plants do so very specifically. I'm thinking that airborne pathogens enter the cavity through the breach.

Did you seal it today?

8/8/2006 11:27:58 PM

South Dakota

My 670 split at an estimate 528 on the 24th of July. Today (150+103+97) est 900lbs. Still growing! Plan on weighing on Thursday. Kevin

8/9/2006 12:11:28 AM

San Jose [email protected]

I don't know anything, but it seems to me that oxygen, gets the decompsition going, mold, etc. Like when you carve your jack o lanterns, they last 2-3 days out here, b4 they start to go mushy. If you pumpkin is still growing, I would try to seal the split, then, make a mini tent (plastic, taped to pumpkin) over the split, keep out all the air if possible

8/9/2006 12:38:33 AM

New Castle, Pa.

I sealed it again this morning, might as will ride it out till the fat lady sings.

Tim

8/9/2006 10:04:54 AM