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Santa Ana, CA

We r first year growers and got two seedlings (unknown lineage) from a giant pumpkin growing class. The first plant set a pumpkin that got to be 44 pounds and the plant died. The second plant (planted on June 10) has no secondary vines and the pumpkin set is very slow growing and the plant is starting to die. We live in an Orange County, Ca suburb and watered regularly, fertilized with organic kelp fertilizer recommended and treated for powdery mildew. We dug a 3 feet by 3 feet hole and filled with 8-9 bags of soil amendments with the soil. We are just so discouraged. We will be buying books over the winter. Any thoughts?

9/4/2013 5:42:21 PM

Connecticut

next spring get a soil test doe and send it to a&l labs.start with that.also plant a cover crop now and till it in the spring.

9/4/2013 7:57:22 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Shade the main vine tip...you burnt all your secondaries

9/4/2013 9:40:18 PM

Colorado

besides the prior great suggestions-you may try shade cloth over the whole plant and a misting system for real hot weather.Lots of cali growers do this-they can give you specifics-go to their meetings and befriend a couple of growers.

9/5/2013 2:03:56 PM