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New Brunswick

Our weather is crazy! On August 22nd (last Friday) It was very warm. Our pool temperature was 84 degrees F. The within two days the temp dropped to the low forties F. It came within one degree of setting a cold record since 1870! My pumpkins hated it. Mr. Perfect has all but stopped growing! He weighs roughly 330 pound according to OTT. It warmed up the past day or two but rained. Pool temp low 60's. Its disgusting. Suppose the pumpkins will grow anymore or will that cold snap stop everything? Suppose I am fertilizing heavily enough? I am using 20 20 20 daily at the rate of 5 mils soluable powder in two liters of water plus regular watering (at each plant trunk.) Should I be feeding more of this fertilizer or is the cold weather the cause of this slow growth?

8/27/2003 9:33:28 PM

Puyallup, WA

Fall is "in the air". One can expect a substantial drop in growth rates. Adding more fertilizer will not accellerate growth....and if not careful, it has been known to "blow 'em up"!

8/27/2003 11:40:52 PM

Monrovia,CA

Strangely enough we get some of our hottest weather in September. We are expected to be in the hundreds again in a couple of days. Still slows a pumpkin down Though!! But the nights are cooler.

8/28/2003 9:55:41 AM

[email protected]

Shorter days have me cheating. I installed a High Pressure Sodium light in the patch. Not sure if it will fool the plants or not. The light intensity might not be great enough from one fixture. I'll shop for more soon. But I'm attempting to simulate the day length of the 45th parallel in July. Light on at 4AM (off when the sun peaks over the trees at 7AM) & back on before dusk until 10PM.

Fortunately we have yet to dip below 60*F.

Poor neighbors already know I'm insane & the local Utility Co. is all grins!

Hey! You never know! It might be worth a shot.

Steve

8/28/2003 10:12:11 AM

Edmonton, Canada

Things certainly slowing down here. It's a bummer at this time of year dealing with the Canadian climate!

8/28/2003 10:27:14 AM

Puyallup, WA

Steve,
I used lights in the Spring in one of my hoophouses last year to see if it would accelerate growth. I found that it made no difference.

8/28/2003 10:50:10 AM

San Luis Obispo Ca

In my region of Cal we are near the Coast. Here it 46F last night.

8/28/2003 7:12:44 PM

New Brunswick

I got to thinking that I might have gotten the secondarys mixed up with the tertairy's and did too much pruning....but on the other hand, last Monday morning people had frost just 3 miles away! So all I know is I have a pumpkin that has all but stopped growing at about 330 pounds. I didn't check all of the smaller ones today to see if they are still growing., but one of the ones I did measure today is definitly also at a stand still. Its disgusting. Yup you are right Smitty, Canadian weather is certainly a bummer. B.C. has dry weather and forest fires and it has rained here nearly all summer.

8/28/2003 9:46:52 PM

Whidbey Island

So here's a question.... Is it the temperature of the vine or the fruit that matters when it comes to it being "too cold" at night? I have my fruit (actually, ever since pollination) covered in plastic by night and with some light bulbs to keep it warmer than the outside night air. I average about ten degrees warmer under the plastic than outside. It may have helped me last year to a new PB. Of course, the whole vine remains open to the cool night air. Any thoughts?

8/28/2003 11:13:08 PM

[email protected]

Cucurbits in general do best when daytime highs range 75-80*F & nightime lows are 10 degrees lower. Wider temperature shifts cause stress to the entire plant. I'm not sure, but would wager this applies to the entire plant. Though I would think that keeping the fruit warm probably is better than nothing.

8/29/2003 5:19:09 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

48 degrees this morning falls a coming

8/29/2003 8:26:03 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

87 yesterday, 63 this morning

8/29/2003 8:44:03 AM