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Santa Cruz, CA

We have a stem and pumpkin split on our 1097 Beachy. They are small so far and we are trying to grow orgaically and would love some advice. What should we do? I recently posted two pictures under "Creekside."

8/15/2006 3:23:45 PM

sevierville, Tn

I believe the 1097 is known for splits, that said mine developed one a week ago, and have only about 1/4 of the stem left due to rot or what ever makes it squishy,oozzy, and yechy smelling. i pasted the splits with captan and sulfer just like i did last year and to others this year, but just got worse. Tried cutting out the bad, the bleach wash, fan on all the time & more captan. Still getting worse. If you get anything like that happening, better go for whatever works. Good luck.

8/15/2006 5:27:06 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

What percentage of bleach to water do you use?

8/15/2006 5:37:49 PM

sevierville, Tn

10 % Is what I tried. Might try peroxide, mine's too far gone except as an experiment now, but i'm going to try it in the morning and see. Fruit is still healthy, but slowed down big time since most of the stem is gone. Oh well. i'll get good seeds if nonething else.

8/15/2006 11:04:25 PM

SF Bay Area, California

My advice for a stem split is similar to that I gave to Doug in the posting above.

First scrap all brown, discolored or mushy flesh away until you are down to solid unblemished flesh in the split. Any discolored mushy flesh is full of bacteria that is eating your pumpkin.

Then get an old toothbrush and scrub the area with a 10% bleach solution. Now coat the area with a paste made out of sulfer powder and Daconil (fungicide) or captan powder and Daconil. (if you must be organic - sulfer powder and water) Use your battery fan to dry the area and if you can get some direct sun on it even better.

Now keep it dry and it should be ok. You might want to try to seal it with latex caulk but I have a feeling that the splits will continue to grow so you may be better off just dusting the split with dry sulfer powder every few days.

8/15/2006 11:11:17 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

I can see into the split on the stem. It seems like it is hollow inside and too dark to really see well. What am I seeing? Is there a hollow part under every stem? I dusted some dry sulfer powder in the cave before I read my post and set the fan going. I also dusted the crack on the pumpkin.

8/16/2006 1:11:27 AM

Saegertown Pa.

Take a knife and split it open toward the vine to relieve some of the pressure, I would go half way up the stem on both sides and see if that stops it splitting into the pumpkin, some times you half to split it up to the vine. It doesn't allways work but I have saved a few pumpkins doing it that way. This is along with the fan and the fungicide. Good luck.

8/16/2006 5:37:08 AM

SF Bay Area, California

The stem is hollow in the middle - just like the vines. I think it is dangerous to leave this open to air intrusion. If the bad guys (mold, bacteria) get into the stem cavity you have no good way to remove them. I would seal the split that goes into the stem cavity with latex caulking.

8/16/2006 10:12:20 AM

San Diego

Stem cavities open to the air should be no problem. This is from my experience and others I have talked to. It really is no problem as long as the stem heals over where it split. I would hesitate to try and caulk a stem split, no need for it and can cause problems. LAst year I had a stem split so wide I could put my hand through the entire stem fromt top to bottom, and upon many generous growers advice, I just kept it dry with sulfer powder, nothing more and it was fine. Best of luck, Jim

8/16/2006 11:26:00 AM

sevierville, Tn

Doesn't look too bad from your picture. Had splits last year like that and the pumpkins were fine. This years different, maybe global warming ! . Hope yours is ok. The paste and fan sounds like good advice.

8/16/2006 3:09:02 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

I split the stem up to about one inch from the vine and did the same on the one on the bottom of the stem too. That second crack had headed into the pumpkin.

When I look into the stem hole I don't see smooth pumpkin skin but what looks like a deep valley. The valley doesn't go all the way into the hollow inside of the pumpkin but I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is a good or bad thing. My hunch says it should look like outer pumpkin skin in there but it doesn't. It looks much more like the inside walls of the pumpkin once you've cut it open for carving. We are pretty new at this and it's our first split so all your help is much appreciated. I'm heading to the patch now but I'm thinking the Beachy is not going to make it. If it has decided to crack big time, how long do you usually have before it starts to rot?

8/16/2006 8:49:42 PM

Use a sterile probe ( I used a ss needle and did a very gentle feel around) if it goes to the cavity,,I've been told a couple of days and the seeds inside will start to germinate.
However if you want viable seeds(from the genetic cross) the fruit should be 50 days to get them,,,it's been done on days as few as 20,,but the fruit were left sitting and didn't have the void to the cavity for air to get in.
Good luck !!

8/16/2006 9:10:34 PM