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Rhode Island

did you know

11. hard pan( not tilling deep enough?) can be found 18 inches and up below your soils surface. for that reason every couple years we sub soil our patch. breaking up any possible hard pan.( a broad fork can be useful as well for breaking up some of this problem but they dont go as deep into the soil as a sub soiler will.
12. pumpkins suck a lot of potassium out of your patch especially during peak growing periods of august.starting august 1st you may want to apply 2-3 pounds of 0-0-50 (depending on plant size )every 10 days through mid september.
13. healthy picked pumpkins will only lose an average off 5 pounds per 8-900 pounds of pumpkin per week so long as they are kept in a cool shady location.picked pumpkins being held for a while should be occasionally wiped down with zero tol or bleach/water. once aweek to help prevent surface rotting.soft spots should be trimmed and sprinkled with sulfer as well.
14. shading with a tarp over the fruit promotes mildew in those areas of the leaf canopy that are alwys shaded. for this reason we prefer to just lay a white sheet over our pumpkins. if they get wet?they will dry.if they blow off?so what, ya put um back on.(or pin the corners if you like.
the only area we do not shade is the stem and lower shoulder area. the sun is needed to keep stems healthy.
15. anytime the temp is forcasted to go below 60 degrees ( especialy late season ) you need to cover that pumpkin with blankets.why? cause it wont grow if its cold, plus it takes a cold pumpkin that much longer to get warmed up in the a.m.even though it covered,on really cold nights? i also put a tarp over the blanket to hold in the heat.it works.
ps--suggest when blanketing you also get some mouse bait around that pumpkin.mice love to be warm as well.

1/8/2012 10:42:36 AM

Torrance, Ca.

A little tid bit in every single one pap!!!

Thanks you!

1/8/2012 12:05:38 PM

New Zealand

thank you pap,
have just removed the shade cover over my root stem.
also have a problem with kins aborting on the main. but you have also written that you dont pollinate until you have a dozen sides at 10 to 12 ft long.... this might explain my current problem...... vine too immature?

1/17/2012 1:51:28 AM

Rhode Island

mavico
the amount of sides should not effect a successful pollination.
high heat ( 90 degrees +) can play a big roll however,
if it gets that hot come pollination time? we will put a fan on the new pollination to keep it cool for that day or two or,a small hoop with a small white piece of cloth to shade it helps cool the new pollination as well.
also tie the female flower closed that first day to keep from getting outside pollon from entering.remove tie on the second day, then remove flower a couple days later.( so it does not rot onto the segments---could cause problems.
pap

1/17/2012 5:32:27 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Thanks Pap

1/17/2012 9:13:16 AM

Pinetops,n.c.

great stuff pap, thanks

1/17/2012 11:14:00 PM

New Zealand

thanks for that pap

1/19/2012 1:26:43 AM