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Spokane, WA

About the first of August I noticed a stem split forming in the stem of my pumpkin. This split is where the stem connects to the vine, not where the stem connects to the pumpkin. The split is about an inch and a half long and a quorter inch deep. the split continues to expand about a quorter inch a day despite being pasted a few times durring the past few days with the fungicide Captain.
Other than the split the vine connection is good, the vine itself doesn't even touch the pumpkin and all seems good. I'm freaking out now because I really dont want to loose this pumpkin since it much larger than anything I've grown before, a whole 303 total inches!!!
Any comments or questions that you have would be very valuable to me. Please help.

8/6/2003 6:00:29 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Sounds like stem stress to me but if it is already at 303" it would probably have snapped off by now.
I would check for stem stress anyways a reduce if applicable.
Is the fruit level and stable? or could it be moving with the growth and causing tork on the stem?

If it was earlier in the season I would also guess that either the stem or fruit is growing disproportionally. One growing at a faster rate than the other and it can't keep up.
What does your fertilzer program look like? Was it increased or drastically changed in late July?

Some guys have used fans on their splits, to help keep the area dry. This won't help much unless you can stop the split from increasing in size.

Post a picture if you can as that is always helpful in troubleshooting.

Good Luck

8/6/2003 8:11:46 PM

Ga.

Is the split with grain,,or across grain of stem?

8/6/2003 9:10:31 PM

Oz

try a wrap...melted wax with cotton dressings. remember ,,the vine is a tube of tubes,,not too tight.

8/6/2003 9:20:09 PM

Oz

use a double boiler so you dont catch fire. i use a propane cook stove. never had to do a pumpkin,fixed trees and bushes and some tall corn ,,i just saw a evil orange bug..so who knows what tomorrow brings..im gonna try neamatodes...before the splits begin??

8/6/2003 9:25:49 PM

Spokane, WA

I fertilize about every fourth or fifth day with some fish emulshion and potassium sulphate along with a little miracle gro. The split was originally with the grain of the stem but now is beginning to go acriss the grain, it looks like a small lightning bolt sort of.

8/6/2003 10:07:42 PM

Utah

congrats on 202 inches...
you could try a plastic clamp, the ones you buy at the hardware store that loop back through themselfs- to hold wire bundles or whatever...
just a thought... don't know if anyone has tried them before but i don't think it would hurt to try it.
even though it is nerve racking, you can have a length wise split all the way through a vine or a stem and still be OK. (so long as there is not a split into the pumpkin itself) hope it holds up for you.

8/6/2003 10:36:11 PM

Utah

.. or even a metal radiator hose type clamp might work.

8/6/2003 10:37:30 PM

hey g1t, i think the plastic clamps you are thinking of are cable ties...lol

8/9/2003 7:31:52 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

There are occlusive dressings used for wound care that may work well if you cover the area and then wrap over that with athletic tape.

Try "Duoderm", available at any pharmacy....check it out.

8/10/2003 12:16:32 AM

Spokane, WA

thanks everyone for the good ideas, I hope they work.

8/10/2003 9:44:52 PM

New Brunswick

My pumpkin was sitting on its vine and I stupidly did not see the problem. After it weighed 90 pounds or so... the vine split lengthwise just above where the pumpkin stem hooked onto the vine. I cut the vine completely off and then sprinkled sulpher in the split. At first I wrapped with a cloth covered with duct tape. I asked everyones opinion in here and they suggested that cloth was not suitable (would get wet) so I removed it, put carpenters glue in and wrapped with black electric tape. I left it a week or so and then removed it. It was kinda soft on the split cut side so I dusted with sulpher, let dry and put on two breatheable bandaids. Tomorrow I am going to clamp with a pipe clamp beyond and over the split. The pumpkin is still growing. (about 140 pounds)

8/10/2003 11:19:01 PM