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KENTUCKY

Just got home and checked my only fruit left. I have blossom end split starting. It is splitting in 3 seperate ways. Right now only about 1 inch long and maybee 1/8th inch deep. Does not seem to be close to being deep into cavity. I went straight for captan and dusted area throughly and filled splits with captan. I then put fan in front of it to dry out (very little "ooze" right now.
I was about ready to caulk it up, but then I decided to ask for some opinions. Should I go ahead and caulk it up?
What else can I do? This is by far my PB at estimated 580lbs on day 38. I don't want to loose it. Any suggestions will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

Thank You,
Mike

8/28/2003 6:53:47 PM

Tacoma, WA

Blossom end splits are an almost daily occurance in our patches! I have had three so far this year. Each is a most discouraging event. The split will only get bigger....unfortunately.

8/28/2003 7:17:10 PM

Western Pa.

Last year about this time,I had one that started to split on the blossom end, but not deep. A lot of rain was forecast, so I cut it off the vine. Made it to the weigh-off at 680#.

8/28/2003 7:22:37 PM

Key West, FL

Maybe take a secondary or two off it is growing too fast.

8/28/2003 7:25:17 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey Mikey in the How to section Len describes how he saved a 400 lber with blossom end split very similar to yours...ended up 968...used sap scrapings and latex caulk! take a read and good luck! and I agree with Ben if ya can slow it down a bit...I'm caulking a hole tomorrow...Yikes!

8/28/2003 7:59:47 PM

[email protected]

We had a crack at my son's school. I noticed it was oozing. Remembering Len's article, I scraped what had oozed out back into the crack. Since air had dried the sap a little, it stayed in place.

Liking what I was seeing, I intentionally scarred a small cullable fruit. Two days later we had more "putty" to cram into the crack. So I held off on the latex caulk (actually I had forgotten to bring it with me!).

The pumpkin slowed some after that because of a bad case of Powdery Mildew. That could be why the cracks stopped. I can't say it would have worked as well if the fruit had been growing fast. But the cracks have healed & do NOT penetrate into the cavity.

I think if this happens to me again on a fast moving fruit I would definately give Len's method a try.

Steve

8/28/2003 8:59:21 PM

KENTUCKY

I've done several things that were suggested to me in e-mail and at chat. I guess time will tell. I'll post again in a day or two with results. Thanks for the ideas from all who have tried to help me in my crisis!

Question,
I've heard calcium helps the fruit from splitting. If true, how do I do that. Think i've heard about not only soil application, but something about calcium in a liquid and drenching a blanket and laying it on top of fruit? Sorry, if a silly question, but I have NO CLUE about this calcium thing.

Thanks again,
Mike

8/28/2003 10:08:48 PM

Puyallup, WA

Mike....I've tried that as well! Mine still split!

8/28/2003 11:29:12 PM

Sask, Canada

I'm going to probably get tons of e-mail and scoffed at but here goes.

The only thing I know of with calcium in a liquid is "Milk"

Have you tried drenching a towel in milk and putting that on your fruit... (snicker)

Sorry Mike I couldn't resist. I hope the info give'in to you in the chat helps.

Good Luck with your fruit....

TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

8/28/2003 11:43:28 PM

[email protected]

The calcium in milk is not in a form readilly available to plants. Even some people can't digest it.

Calcium Nitrate is sold in a water soluble dry bagged form. Cheap too if you can find it. Try an ag retailer. There is better plant exchangeable calcium in CN but you can still do better.

Nutrical is a higher quality calcium source as far as plant availability is concerned. It and other "floral grade" liquid versions are chelated to place the calcium in it's most available state.

We sell another new version of organically chelated calcium called Green-Flo. We have a couple stores in "Tucky". Try our store locator & see if you have one nearby or send me an email.

www.lesco.com

It may be too late to realize the benefits of calium for this year unless the treated fruit is still fairly young & the skin is still "supple". But it won't hurt either way.

Steve

8/29/2003 5:08:04 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

NutriCal!!!!!!

8/29/2003 6:22:33 AM

KENTUCKY

well today i get home and about 1/2 of the split had healed on one of the splits. The "oozo" came out of the split and hardened. The other split got longer but not deeper and did not heal so well.
But over night and today, the last 22 hrs. approximately, the fruit gained 39 pounds by chart!
Should I start cutting a few secondaries to slow it down due to the split? I want the fruit to make it to sept 20th. and gain at least another 150 pounds, I want state record (sorry Frank!!) :-) :-)
IF I start removing a few secondaries, I know it will slow down, but I want 150 more pounds by chart in case it goes light. Right now at 610 pounds on day 39.
Any more suggestions, GREATLY APPRECIATED!

8/29/2003 5:29:42 PM

Key West, FL

150 pounds in 22 days or so isn't that much growth when you are going as fast as you are going.

8/29/2003 5:34:03 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

In the words of Clint Eastwood.....Do YOU feel lucky ...could have been 5 tell ya the truth ..with all this excitement....Ultimately it's up to you!
Good Luck in whatever you decide...You're were ya wanted to be...next decision is yours!
Chuck

8/29/2003 7:14:56 PM

Oz

i wonder if cottage cheese would make good pumpkin bond dough???

8/29/2003 8:54:52 PM

Key West, FL

?????lol

8/29/2003 9:04:57 PM

Oz

hehehe

8/30/2003 8:58:23 AM

KENTUCKY

well 1 split looks very good, the other is well, hummmmm, no so very good. It has goten bigger throughout the day. I went on and gave it some captan powder again, and went on and caulked it up. If tomorrow, split returns, and bigger, will start cutting secondaries to slow this puppy down. I'm very happy with a 600+ pounder even if I can't catch the state record. It's looking as there is nothing I can do about the split. Probably to late, fruit at day 40 but today I went out and found calcium. Going to apply tomorrow morning, have it breaking down in water now with electric mixer overnight. I'll leave it on vine and hope she grows slowly, no more fert. this year!
I'll post again in diary in a few days with what has happened.

Mike

8/30/2003 6:06:36 PM