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Illinois

Last season, using seeds from Howard Dill, I grew a vine that tended to grow pumpkins from a few pounds to about
20 pounds, then they wilted and rotted. I am not very experienced in growing Atlantic Giant, but I've grown a
fair number of pumpkins and never seen anything like this.
At the tail end of the season I did keep a couple of pumpkins but they weren't bigger than 35 pounds. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Any clues? I will try again this year, but I'd like to avoid last year's experience.

3/14/2002 1:14:38 PM

Utah

sounds like maybe they weren't "set" or pollinated
so they aborted.
did you hand pollinate ?
maybe it was to hot and the pollination didn't take.

3/14/2002 4:16:08 PM

Western Pa.

Could be bacterial wilt, or some type of vine rot. Check photos and descriptions in a good diagnostic plant book.

kilr

3/14/2002 7:19:26 PM

Ontario, Canada

In the past couple of years i've trouble with squirrels. They eat my pumkins when they're still young. Does anyone have any suggestions to deter them?

3/14/2002 9:10:48 PM

Amherst, WI

.22 cal hollow points. Or, if shooting them isn't your bag,you could set up a feeder with sunflower seeds nearby. I bet the squirrels would rather eat the seeds,than pick on your pumpkins.

3/14/2002 9:39:46 PM

Amherst, WI

If they still eat your pumpkins, SHOOT 'EM.

3/14/2002 9:41:53 PM

Western Pa.

Sprinkle some powdered cayenne pepper on your pumpkins, they'll find something else to eat!(Re-apply after rain)

kilr

3/15/2002 9:38:07 AM

Indiana

Sounds to me like some animals haven't been getting their normal dose of lead, also known as Plumbum in latin.
Tom Beachy

3/15/2002 11:41:30 AM

Whistler, BC, Canada

if the squirrels have been eating ur pumpkin then you could set up a trap than droun them.

3/15/2002 12:04:05 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

I got a feelin that there is gonna be big problems with the "tree rats" in all the places with the drought. Looks like NJ won't be able to water the gardens this year unless something changes real soon...Yikes

3/15/2002 12:57:28 PM

Chester Co., PA

Benetton,
Seriously now, look into building an electric fence around the patch. Last year squirrels were destroying everything they could find inside my fenced patch. Then an electric wire was installed around the top of the fence and it stopped them cold. The supplies were available at my Home Depot for about $40. Also, if they are ground squirrels follow them to their hole and stick a highway flare down amongst them, then block the opening with a board. If you see flies going into the hole in a couple of days, you won.

Alexdad,
Put Decon rat poison stations around the garden. The rats LOVE the stuff. I put them under my wood pile where they live.

3/15/2002 6:10:55 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

Just get a couple of cats. They will take care of the squirrels, mice, moles and chipmonks....Tom

3/15/2002 8:16:47 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

Please don't use rat poison if you have cats that will eat the poisoned animal.

3/17/2002 1:20:19 AM

Lake Stevens, WA, USA

go to www.weitech.com They manufacture and sell sonic and ultrasonic pest repellers. I bought one to keep all the cats in my neighborhood out of my garden. It works.

I am the only house in the neighborhood without any pets, so naturally all the neighbors cats do their business in my yard and garden..........but not any more!!! $50.00 well spent if you ask me, and it works on dogs, squirrels, skunks, opossums, raccoons, and even armadillos (according to the directions), in addition to working on cats.

David

3/17/2002 2:55:24 AM

Long Island,New York

Two birds with one stone Suzy?......

3/17/2002 10:17:52 AM

MD

Last year I grew Dill 697 and I got one pumpkin on each plant. The other pumpkins died so I had no decision to make as to which one to keep on each plant. One of them reached 280 ott which is about 450 lbs before splitting on 8-20. The ones I hand pollinated with several male flowers were the ones that made it so try hand pollinating this time.

3/19/2002 6:10:57 AM