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Cameron

Our LG are getting wrinkley tips on them. Now a couple are turning brown & getting soft. Is there anything we can do to stop this or prevent it from happening to our newer fruit? Any help is gratefully appreciated.

Jane & Phil

8/26/2013 11:18:45 AM

west central IN/East central IL

Possibly need more water or calcium. I had 1 do the same. I remember seeing something on cucurbits not getting enough calcium all the way to the blossom end so, just a theory. I haven't searched too much on the subject. Good luck

8/26/2013 12:47:40 PM

Jericho Vermont

I have only had that issue one time and added a weekly dose of nutrical and have been lucky so far. I do 1 tablespoon per gallon and a 2 gallon drench per plant on a weekly basis.
John

8/26/2013 4:09:32 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

When I have seen this problem I also had brown rust-like fungus on the leaves and vines, A mix of daconil and agri-fos has helped prevent it for me.

8/26/2013 6:57:08 PM

pennsylvania , usa

I had only one other LG on the vine with the 137.75" WR and when it got to about 132" the other started to wrinkle and turn brown but it continued to grow in length for a while. The number two LG quit and shrank while the WR grew longer. I believe the WR needed more moisture and pulled it from the now 118.25"UOL. The plant was healthy with no issues. Tom Wright

8/26/2013 9:29:32 PM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

i have seen some seeds produce the (witches nose before) best of luck

8/27/2013 11:36:20 AM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

I have seen it also including this year and am thinking also that maybe more calcium is needed.

8/27/2013 11:58:30 AM

Ontario

I have 3 plants sharing my 24' long trellis, all plants are receiving the same nutrients, and fungicide program. 2 plants have produced gourds without the shrivel tip, but the other plant does have a gourd with this problem. I am in belief it may be more related to the seed than the nutrients.

The gourd with this problem is on the 137 Wright and is just over 125" today on Day 37. It is still growing, but very slowly at this point, and I am sure I will lose some of that length before the weigh off.

I have 2 gourds still on the vine from my 106" last year, same pollination day finished at 123" and 122.75", no problems with the tips.

The 3rd plant is the 124 Young and has only produced very short clubs, no tip problems.

My 137 produces gourds with very skinny pointed tips and this could be part of the problem.

I have several other younger gourds going on all 3 plants and will see how they turn out at seasons end.

The jury is still out....

8/27/2013 2:29:15 PM

Cameron

Thanks All. I think I'll add some extra calcium to the plant. It certainly can't hurt the plant. If I could get this LG to keep from doing this, then I'd be a happy grower. It's nothing big, but could be a new PB if it could grow some more without getting it. Thanks again for all your help. Good luck.

Jane & Phil
GVGO

8/28/2013 7:47:18 AM

Muddy Waters

My calcium is 4000 So maybe I need boron.I didnt treat that corner with borox.This is the end of my garden that didnt get all the amendments.I had a good one going on the 125 sweet.Partys over for that one.The plants have exploded with fruit to cull in the past week just like the watermelons.

8/29/2013 7:28:29 AM

Wi

We had a bad tip (looked like a witches nose) on our WR. We were able to get it to the weigh off but we know we lost inches on it. On that plant we had another gourd that was fine. This year we have two gourds on one plant and one of them has a bad tip. We did a tissue test on the tomatoes right next to the gourds and the calcium was low. I have been foliar feeding the tomatoes and gourds with calcium and it has not helped. May be not enough calcium yet? We did observe that it showed up at the same time we had a heat wave. Could be related? When we cut the WR up there were no seeds in the tip and the fruit had a low seed count. Hope you find the answer. We are looking for it too.

8/30/2013 8:00:06 AM

Cameron

We have 2 gourds on the 116 Martin. One has a bad tip & the other is still fine. Hopefully we can keep the good one from going bad. It's longer than the bad-tipped one & still growing.

Once the good one stops growing, would it be best to cut it off the plant if it isn't showing any signs of rotting or should we leave it on? As always your help is gratefully appreciated. Good luck.

Jane & Phil

8/30/2013 9:07:30 AM

Team Canuckle Heads

I leave mine on until the weigh off
I think it helps the seeds mature

8/30/2013 8:13:38 PM

Cameron

Thanks John. If the gourd stops growing, is there any chance it could start to get a bad tip? Thanks.

Jane & Phil

8/30/2013 8:21:57 PM

Ontario

The shriveled tips are soft from early on, this is the first sign they will develop the problem. If the tip has a hard skin, then I don't think they will develop the shrivel tip. I have two on the vine that have been done now for about a week now, both had hard skin tips and there is no sign of any problems developing.

I also believe keeping them on the vine matures the seeds, and the mature seeds germinate way easier.

Still very unclear what causes this problem as I now have a few gourds going on my 106 and one of them is showing the signs developing today, the others are not. I have 2 going on the 137, same age, one has the problem developing, one doesn't. Very strange.

I sure wish we had a virtual measurement system similar to the tomato contest that the GPC recognizes. My gourd on the 137 is 127.5" today, and is about done as it is 41 days old. It has the shrivel tip problem and is just starting to brown now. I know I will lose some before I can get it to an official GPC weigh off, sucks, but them's the rules!!

Good Luck to all

Bryan

8/31/2013 9:05:35 AM

Cameron

Thanks Bryan. Yes, I hear you. We have a couple smaller ones that are shriveled, but are just now turning brown. If we wait until a weigh off, then the last 12" or more will have turned black for sure.

This shriveled tip problem seems to be affecting a lot of growers. Hopefully LG growers can one day find a way to control this problem. Good luck.

Jane & Phil

8/31/2013 9:56:01 AM

Team Canuckle Heads

If they don't have a the problem when they stop growing they don't seem to develop it.
I hope yours hangs in there until the competition Bryan
A very respectable length
Good luck to all

9/1/2013 7:40:28 AM

Cameron

Hey John, are you growing this year or did you take the year off? Just curious. Hope to see you at PE. Take care.

Jane & Phil

9/1/2013 9:46:52 AM

Team Canuckle Heads

I have 1 small pumpkin and 1 small squash left
a few nice gourds, maters, cabbage, corn and sunflowers
Yep it's official I'm growing stuff this year
It will be good to see you in about a month

John

9/1/2013 3:44:34 PM

Cameron

That's great. Good luck my friend.

Jane & Phil

9/2/2013 8:45:37 AM