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Kutztown, PA

I made a couple of small shades yesterday to keep the sun off of my new pumpkins and began thinking of how I'm going to shade them as they grow larger. When I got up this morning to leave for work and went to grab my keys from the tray where I normally keep them I noticed a small single use packet of "sun barricade" which were being passed out at a triathlon event I participated in earlier this month. In left me wondering what the affect of rubbing some of it on the baby pumpkins would be. After reading over the plethora of chemicals used to make it I smartly decided against it. The idea did leave me wondering if such a product for vegetables exists. I google it and found the following:

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25907647

6/23/2022 2:18:33 PM

Bethlehem CT

Some people use surround (kaolin clay) as a sunscreen. I know dale in Australia used a product that was a type of sunscreen. I can't remember the name. Good idea not to put the sunscreen on the pumpkin. Sometimes I wonder why I put that stuff on myself.....with all the crap in it.

6/23/2022 6:49:42 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Good old white sheet and a nice tarp over the top and your golden!
And 2 fans front and back!

6/23/2022 10:02:09 PM

Grittyville, WA

Yes its possible to lighten the color of a pumpkin plant's leaves (reflectivity) using calcium carbonate. I tried it last year. Seems like doing this could buy a degree or two of cooling. Probably helps prevent powdery mildew too, idk.

6/23/2022 10:25:30 PM

Kutztown, PA

I guess I'll skip the sunscreen SPF 45 application and go with the white sheet and tarp. At what stage of growth do you fan up the stem and the blossom ends?

I've heard some folks put a blanket over the pumpkin at night and others talk about keeping it cool. Which is it?

6/24/2022 8:26:51 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I'm Italian, I put baby oil and an accelerator on mine for a bronze look.

Seriously though, I am with Chris on the doubled-up sheet and tarp canopy. Never under any circumstance let the plastic tarp touch the pumpkin on a sunny day. It will burn them bad. Had it happen on a 10 day old and it grew into a foot long hole\scar on the pumpkin. It survived, but that section grew at a funny angle. After that, no chemicals or anything touch the pumpkin but a sheet.

6/24/2022 8:30:15 AM

Kutztown, PA

Smallmouth - Shouldn't you be using Olive Oil? :) Good thought about the tarp cooking; I'll keep that in mind.

Having been born and raised in the South my first inclination was to douse the baby pumpkins in a slurry of Crisco and bacon grease, let them get good and crispy on the outside, then eat them with grits. That actually might be good. Maybe I'll try it with a cull:).

6/24/2022 9:26:35 AM

Torrance, Ca.

lol Luke!

6/24/2022 9:31:48 AM

Torrance, Ca.

I remember that tarp burn Luke! That can be bad news........

6/24/2022 9:33:28 AM