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Virginia

Hi Folks, hope this is the right place to post this question, and truly sorry if it's a repeater. My vines are well on their way out from asst pests/diseases but there are 8 100-150lbs fruits sitting in the field (along with many smaller ones). It would be great to hear some of your experienced ways to keep them in good shape for the next 10 weeks. I don't have a cool place for storage but could move them under a shade tree if that would help. Many thanks for all replies and much appreciated advice. Happy harvest, vgkg

8/18/2003 10:35:09 PM

Ohio, USA

you should try to keep them on the vine as long as possible.

8/18/2003 10:38:37 PM

Hudsonville, Michigan ([email protected])

If they're still growing, keep 'em on the vine. If not, then keep them in a shaded, dry, well ventilated place. (Even if they're on the vine they should be covered from direct sunlight.) Also, maybe an application of Wilt-Pruf would lengthen their life...Anybody else got any thoughts about the Wilt-Pruf?
Frank

8/19/2003 1:45:11 AM

Western Pa.

I used to use lemon pledge, but recently, the addition of any "foreign substance", including wax, oil, and possibly wilt-pruf, may cause your pumpkin to be DQ'd at a G.P.C. weigh-off site!

8/19/2003 9:02:36 AM

i heard it works good but they don't like stuff on the pumpkins at the weigh-offs.

8/19/2003 9:05:07 AM

Virginia

Thanks for the feedback! These pumpkins aren't for competition, just growing them for the heck of it since recently moving to bigger digs. Plan to give them away to family, friends, neighborhood kids but hoping to make sure most of them survive for Jack-Lanterns.

Today I moved several smaller ones to under a small leantoo up against the garage. On these pumpkins the vines were completely dead so took your advice to get them outta the sun. 3 of the larger ones I barely was able to gently tilt over onto a slick tarp and drag them over grass to the shade tree. I'll need some help getting them onto boards later. Many others are still in the field attached to whithering stems.

Would spraying these down with fungicides help prolong their life? All tips on keeping them intact until Oct 31st are Greatly appreciated. vgkg

8/19/2003 9:55:53 PM

Oz

huge ziplocks.

8/21/2003 2:40:03 AM

Virginia

well, I was hoping for at least a few more insightful instructions since I was directed to this site for some good advice. Maybe this area is in the "trade secrets" catagory and loose lips sink competitions? At any rate, Thanks for the replies above, I'll do what I can to keep em' fresh for Halloween. Happy harvest, vgkg

8/22/2003 1:40:32 PM

New Jersey

I'm in a similar situation with 2 pumpkins whose stems totally rotted away while I was on vacation. The wilt proof and keeping in a cool ventilated area sounds the best to me so far.

Anyone with experience of keeping a pumpkin around at least? This had to happen to others too???

8/31/2003 8:07:11 PM