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Seattle, Washington, USA

Hey y'all, I posted a photo of a couple smallish stem splits that I woke up to yesterday.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=333737

Does this seem like a direct result of overwatering? I put some Sulphur on the wounds and I haven't noticed any additional stem stress today. I took down my water levels just incase, but I am trying to understand all the possible reasons for it happening so I can learn from it. I have loosened the vine around the pumpkin. What do y'all think?

8/8/2022 5:23:18 PM

Diamond, Ohio

It just happens sometimes at that size. Nothing to worry about. Keep pushin.

8/8/2022 5:27:24 PM

Seattle, Washington, USA

Oh cool! Glad to hear its nothing too much to worry about! Thanks Dibble.

8/8/2022 6:26:20 PM

Syracuse, NY

Here is an EXtreme example of what COULD but probably won't happen: Please read my speech before seeing the link(s) to avoid being disheartened, 'kay?
What I could have done was to have sprayed my own ratio of, say, 2 TBSP Clorox/gallon of H2O bi-daily into the cavity that was forming to have kept it more sterile and perhaps allowed it to have dried and healed rather than split, split, split to a bitter end. Now, here's the kicker - under daily, close observation, I would watch with a penlight for whether or not the split (if ever there is one) oozes and heals/coagulates as it goes or if it continues to splay open withOUT healing as the stem end gets bigger and bigger, as mine did; The same as what happens on the surface of the fruit as it cracks and sap oozes out to repair it is what I believe happens here to the EXtreme. (Great Band!)
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As was said, you don't need to do anything differently and keep after it!;*
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My own season-ending scenario (for THIS pumpkin (Awwwww...))
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=329306

And what COULD be done, IF you have a MUCH-worsening scenario:
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=327429

Yay for NSB!!!

For my own future endeavor, if I have one doing this?
>>>I'll put a giant hose clamp around it, lol!
I will!
Best Wishes - Eric G

8/8/2022 6:30:32 PM

Seattle, Washington, USA

Whoa! The way you alleviated the cracks with those lil horizontal slices is a cool trick. Thanks for the heads up, I can see how it could progress into a larger crack and I will keep an eye on the healing and keep up with the treatment and keep pushin!

Thanks Eric

8/9/2022 11:36:05 AM

Stanwood, Washington

That Doesn't look like anything to worry about to me. Its pretty normal to see shallow fissures like that as the stem expands.

8/9/2022 1:17:38 PM

Stanwood, Washington

Also I saw your previous post about not being able to grow competition Pumpkins in your yard. Don't sell yourself short. Your probably not going to be able to win against the likes of Joel and Cindy but it is definitely possible grow in your yard and be competitive enough to place in some top 10's and win some prize money.

8/9/2022 1:35:43 PM

Seattle, Washington, USA

Thanks Captain, I certainly will keep on tryin!! I love hearin' from other folks in Washington. It has been a cold year aside from the lil heat wave we had, and your pumpkins are lookin great!

8/9/2022 5:34:58 PM

Grittyville, WA

Yep take whatever you've got to a weigh off. At this point there's probably more weigh offs in our area than pumpkins. Its quite possible that any size pumpkin could put you into the top ten.

8/10/2022 1:26:30 AM

Syracuse, NY

And credit where it's due - that radial crack relief technique is from a Diary Post by North Shore Boyz, AKA NSB wherein he and others he mentioned over there've got it all figured out, thank Goodness;
The FANNNNNNNNtastically-beautiful 552.9 in the first-referenced DP is indeed from my 301.5 '05 seed. If I even have a 50-pounder that looks like that with no SPLIT this year, I'll be happy about it, lol - eric g

8/10/2022 4:03:00 AM

Colorado

Genetics, surge in water and lateral pressure from the vine stem pumpkin orientation.You decide.

8/10/2022 1:42:43 PM