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Little-TON - Colorado

Been looking at many pics from last yearZ patch...

We seem to always have diving blossom endZ down...If one looks at the pumpkin dividing it into a northern and southern hemisphere....Seems the Northern half grows more than the southern half...causing it to kind of flatten out....diving that blossom end to the ground. Its not stem positioning...

I have heard some say its too much cover early causing the ground to be colder and warmer on top.

SHould we shade more with reflectorZ like SteltZie used?

2/3/2012 1:26:59 PM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

relectorz...
like Steltzie used...
Please tell us more oh Wizzie one???

2/3/2012 2:49:21 PM

Bethlehem CT

Mine often due that too. I always thought it was because the pumpkin's bottom was not able to slide properly as it grew. I was hoping pulp mill fabric would help with alleviate this. I never thought about temp differences on the pumpkin.

2/3/2012 5:08:46 PM

Linden, Mi.,

Wiz.
I really don't think it matters as I grow all my pumpkins the same way and some blossom go down and some do not. No I do not have an answer

2/3/2012 5:56:36 PM

Cheyenne,WY

I was thinking it was a temperature difference as well. I posted this questions on the New Grower's formed and received some suggestions how to keep the pumpkin a consistent temperature. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=14&p=424332

2/3/2012 8:03:36 PM

Rhode Island

this happens when you dont roll the pumpkin so it can keep its nice round shape?

2/4/2012 10:02:24 AM

Minnesota

hey i had an experience with some divers this year. i had a 1421 stelts pollinated july 2nd and it made a perfectly round wheel of a pumpkin. i made two clones of that plant and both produced divers with no blossom in sight. the clones were pollinated late july early august. i
even let another grow on the original plant after my first
split and it produced another 200lb diver. soil temp could play role too but all my divers were pollinated late july early august about the warmest ground temps of the year. so im guessing a combination of positioning and mill fabric with sand so it gets started right(only the round one got mill fabric)

2/4/2012 10:45:33 AM

Germany

Hi joe w, I´ve had a look at the two pumpkins (diver vs. non-diver) in your diary, and by looking at the stems (i.e., the shape of the stem, which might indicate some strain from the vine) I would think that less strain between stem and vine supports the non-diver. Why? Divers will dive because the bottom receives less nutrients than the top. By physics, more water should flow to the bottom, but I could imagine that the pipelines to the bottom get blocked by strain between stem and vine. The vine makes the stem bend down, thus causing compression in the lower half of the stem. In addition to temperature, this strain thing might be a further contributor, which, upon first steps towards diving, could increase the effect.

2/5/2012 12:27:09 AM

Rhode Island

personally? i think its all about genetics and positioning on the vine, more so though with genetics.
ron and i have been growing for many years and i dont think we have had more than a couple pumpkins that grew with the blossom buried under the fruit.

2/5/2012 9:34:33 AM

Littleton, Colo

Positioning how Paps? Stem not parallel to the ground maybe ?

2/5/2012 10:31:07 AM

Radda in Chianti (SI) Italy

I agree with Pap, genetics, also positioning on the vine and when you dont roll the pumpkin. I had two pumpkins with the blossom on the ground: 1° wos grown on 1180 Pukos in 2010 and the 2° wos grown on the 1118 Cutrupi 2011 (1180Pukos x 985Werner) (it is a seed from the pumpkin grown on my 1180 Pukos in 2010). I observed that the bottom pulp on the two pumpkins wos very thin. I think this increases the chances of blossom on the ground.
Probably not a rule but I think this.
S

2/5/2012 12:53:33 PM

Ontario, Canada.

JV and I have discussed a few times and agree that it Could be incomplete pollination.

Vegetables that are self- and insect-pollinated often suffer from lack of pollination and fertilization, just as wind-pollinated corn does. High temperatures, shade, and insufficient moisture often result in pollen that does not behave normally and causes a lack of fruit development. Poorly shaped fruit (cucumbers, watermelons, tomatoes) result from incomplete pollination IMHO.

Russ

2/5/2012 7:12:11 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Dipping my blossom end down would mean I would be lifting the stem too high. Usually I put a piece of foam under the stem/vine that raises up the stem end the make it parallel to the ground. I also cut the root under the vine once it starts to hinder the pumpkin movement, waiting until the last day so I can take advantage of that tap root as long as possible. Its like Pumpking says, the bottom half doesnt grow as fast as the upper half.

Paps, I know you like the towel or sheet method....

I use a sheet and also create a hoop house over the pumpkin as well covering it with another sheet or plastic cover to keep the rain out. SO I am keeping it double covered. In vcat Not every pumpkin I grow buries the Blossom in the ground, so I dont think its my dirt Mr. A.

2/6/2012 1:24:43 PM