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Stafford, Virginia

Please take a look at my posting (John/Nancy) in the "Why do pumpkins turn white?" This is getting real frustrating losing hard fought fruit. Need some constructive assistance

7/19/2002 8:53:00 AM

South Hill, Virginia

John,

We have similar climates and I think it's the excessive heat causing the aborts. I've had females aborting at all stages of growth. Finally got a couple going by shading the female buds as soon as I see them and by cooling their microclimates with ice until they get going. So it wouldn't be too expensive I used laundry baskets from the dollar store and froze two liter bottles of water which I replace each morning. Got pics of everything in my diary.

Since the weather really doesn't look like it will let up soon I would suggest trying to get any female you can going (even ones you may normally cull on secondaries)because you may not end up having many left to choose from.

7/19/2002 9:18:04 AM

Stafford, Virginia

Thanks - not having any problem getting pollinations going - but yes I have seen some small (premature) females wither and fail but that's not my issue. This has been (to-date) just with softball size fruit.

7/19/2002 9:29:27 AM

Cologne / Germany

If you suppose it to be some kind of rot, look at this page:
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Cucurbit_FrtRots.htm
They also have photos, you might perhaps find something similar.

7/19/2002 9:46:56 AM

Cooks Creek, Manitoba, Canada

AG's typically abort at softball size when pollination is not successful. So you don't know if pollination has work until they get bigger than this. They are usually golf to tennis ball size when you pollinate and I feel it is simply growth momentum that gets them to softball size before the lack of pollination finally tells it to not bother continuing to grow. The time it takes for this to happen can vary from as little as a day to over a week. I have had this happen due to heat, rain, or over fertilizing at the time of pollinating. The only time I have seen females wither and fail before opening was during extreme heat conditions and/or drought. Just my two cents.

7/19/2002 11:36:48 AM

Stafford, Virginia

Thanks again - just had to remove a 20# this am and looked over the others - I am sure that one of my 75#'s is going the same way now - I noticed that it had started to really slow down it's growth over the last couple of days.
No big deal - work is nothing but production/mechanical/heat problems - got a call from my daughter that there seems to be some sort of water leak in the basement where we completed a $15,000 upgrade - and now this pumpkin thing (that is supposed to be a hobby/diversion) - this pumpkin thing seems to be a hobby for a retired person as I seem to get in from the patch every night by 9:30 and am back out in it by 4:30am so I can get the morning duties done before work - Oh and my wife thinks it's a waste of time and seems to remind me of it when I least need reminding.
I sure like the competition but it's killing me trying to do it right. What a sad tale.
And to think I was going to post a question of obtaining some heavy duty lifting tarps this morning! John

7/19/2002 3:23:43 PM

Kansas

With the luck i've had this year i should be able to pick up my pumpkin with a baseball glove....lol.....Shawn.

7/19/2002 8:09:50 PM

Western Pa.

John,

If you're losing pumpkins in the 20-75# range, I'm betting that it's not because of the heat. Sounds more like phytophthora or some other type of wilt. If you have How to grow Giant Pumpkins 2, look at the pictures in the disease section. Were is your water coming from?, "Phyto" exists on surface water of creeks, ponds, etc. Maybe your local extension office can help diagnise your problem. Cheer up, this hobby can be very rewarding, but you've GOT to let your wife know who's boss!

kilr

7/20/2002 8:59:45 AM