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Bristol, ME ([email protected])

My best fruit has decided to go on vacation or something. It was adding a pound to the previous days gain and it just decided to stop...12 lbs Saturday, 7 Sunday and less than that so far today. There is another fruit on a second main that is a good 40lbs. The main vine that my best fruit is on is not terminated. I need advice or I am am so frustrated I am liable to go out and rip the whole mess up and be done with it. It was doing so well and boom. Also, the fruit on the second main is still growing visibly while my big one just sits and does squat and the main vine is still growing..I even yelled at it and threatened it with the knife...I am a desperate rookie who needs advice on desperate measures. So it may not be a 600 pounder, I've come too far on what I had to have it just give up, but 2 days of putrid growth has me ready to yank the whole shooting match.

Distraught in Bristol

8/5/2002 7:19:59 PM

Commack, NY

first .......dont pull the plant. i can understand your frustration, and believe me when i tell you, we've all been there. in 99 i couldnt get my 935 lloyd to do anything for me. i broke the main, the fruits wouldnt grow, then i had stem splits.....it was a mess. and even then i didnt pull the plant. its posible that the fruit is aborting, in which case you can go with your 40 lbr. give it a few days, and you'll know. it will turn noticibly white. how big and how old is it?

scott

8/5/2002 7:43:01 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

27 days old, 72", 118lbs.
Kind of old to abort I thought. I just don't get it, from 8lbs to 12 lbs a day, gaining a lb more each day then it decides to go to the bahamas and grow 1/2 to a 1/4 as much.
I need more beer.............

8/5/2002 7:47:48 PM

derry n.h u.s.a.

Stunner,check the main vine or the vine the pumpkin is on,also the stump or base of the plant to see if you have a vine borer! or a bad spot somewhere.How large is the plant,sq/ft'?

8/5/2002 7:53:46 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

The plant is 500 sq ft give or take. I fertilized yesterday and saw no evidence of any invasion.

8/5/2002 8:00:02 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

Just went out and checked the whole vine, no evidence of anything. The whole vine is solid and rigid with no damage or bad spots, all the leaves look healthy and green, nothing apears to have changed or attacked.

8/5/2002 8:07:08 PM

prairie du sac wi

One of my vary large plants is doing the same thing. It has only one (200 lb) fruit on the plant set out about 20 feet.It was gaining 14 pounds a day then it quickly slowed to nothing.I got brave yesterday and cut the main vine right after the fruit.I think the plant stoped giving juice to the fruit because it was haveing problems suporting itself,It seems that all the secondary roots died off for some reason( I hope this wont happen to the rest of my plants).Anyway,the fruit is starting to put on a little weight.This might not be right for your plant.But GOOD LUCK!

8/6/2002 1:09:37 AM

Deer Park, WI

Dont sweat it too much. I too had that problem last year. I had a main vine fruit that was just smokin. Then around 350 lbs is slowed to almost nothing, while the secondary vine fruit picked up. Eventually that one slowed as well. I gave up on the plant, thinking the fruit would just sit there till october. When it came time to harvest, I measured the 350lber and to my surprised it taped out at over 550lbs! Some plants just slow down, for whatever reason, but it doesnt mean they are done.

8/6/2002 8:50:52 AM

stunner hang in there,do some weedin, bury some vines, and make sure the plant is geting enough phosphate,maybe your roots need a little boost...spray the hole thing down with daconil..maybe go down to one fruit on your best plant...good luck. lobsta

8/6/2002 4:32:55 PM

Stafford, Virginia

I continue to be amazed with the commonality of this white speckly problem that many growers are having. There have been many very detailed descriptions of this very same problem and a lot of meaningless(and recommendations from growers that didn't even seem to have read the message)solutions. The quote "heavy hitters" need to come forward on this as if you look through the past postings this has become a major problem over the past 2 months for a lot of decent growers. If you want to see the trend I'm talking about just go back through the older messages - I can tell you I've been on this subject for two months and have described it all in great detail multiple times. I'm pulling all my stuff out and getting on with my life. There seems to be something being passed around and I'm starting to think it is transmitted within the seeds. This same issue has come up from different geographical locations and with growers that are experiencing highly varied growing conditions. Has something infected seeds and is spread via handling or at auctions?? I got all my seed stock from the seed exchange. Out of here. John

8/8/2002 10:28:42 AM

Western Pa.

I think the white speckly problem has finally gotten into your brain. You are "bashing" those that were generous enough to take time out from their busy lives to try and help you diagnose your problem. Since, obviously you are unable to diagnose your problem, you must find someone in your area that can diagnose it. Refusing to use the advice given to you will not solve your problem. Don't blame us, this site, or the seeds. Maybe you can seek solstice at www.excessivewhining.com.

8/9/2002 10:19:13 AM

Buffalo, NY

Ouch Kilr. LOL. Hey, JohnNancy: I'm growing 3 plants in a RIDICULOUSLY small patch (about 1/3 of my yard.) I'm growing the 1062 Rivard (seeds thru the mail from Canada,) the 1020 Papez (seeds thru the mail from Canada) a mutant, flat, ribbon, double-everything headache of a plant with new secondaries acting as mains, and the 594 Smith (seeds thru the mail from California) similar to the 1020 Papez. On life support in a wheelbarrow of compost tea is the 771 Rockwell that I used only as a pollinator for some females (seeds thru the mail from Pennsylvania.) So far, I've pollinated 20 females, of which 7 grew. Of the 7, 3 are still left, & 1 of them, on the mutant 1020 Papez, cracked on the blossom end at less than 20 days old. The others? The ones that didn't make it had white spots, until the entire fruit turned white, then soft, then mush. Some were large watermelon size. With all the details I've given, what's in common? They're all pumpkins with a mind of their own! They can grow weird vines, crack, abort late, etc. I don't think it has anything to do with the mail, exchanges, auctions, etc. but genetics, weather, care, conditions etc. Early aborts shrivel & stop growing, late aborts get spots, turn white, turn to mush, etc.
Mark

8/9/2002 3:17:39 PM