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Westmoreland, KS

Okay I have a great plant, a nicely located pumpkin, weeds are taken care of and the plant is getting a plenty of fertilizer.
But I live in Kansas so we get extreme weather i.e. a storm went through last night with 70mph winds and it was 95 out for the past 3 weeks and now it is only upper 60's.
My question is covering my pumpkins what is my best bet for keeping the sun off...i've tried tarps in the past but they get blown around badly.
I've heard about a white sheet draped over the pumpkin but should i just do that during the day and not at night to protect from disease or should i keep it cover at all times?

6/1/2012 9:53:13 AM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

Personally, I would uncover it at night. It is the sun that you are protecting kin from. If sheet is blowing around you'll have to pin it down with something. Maybe tent pegs or something like that. Good luck!!!

6/1/2012 10:08:34 AM

Nottingham, UK

Day time cover for sun protection (all season)

Night time blanket to keep warm (late season/cold weather)

6/1/2012 10:51:10 AM

Westmoreland, KS

Tent pegs is a really good idea thanks!

6/1/2012 11:44:40 AM

The North Coast

I have good luck with thick white felt from the fabric store. It is much thicker than pool table felt and when weighed down with a rock in the corners is rather stable. Needless to say that if it gets wet you will need to hang it up. Not to fear there, amazingly the felt drains and dries quickly. Or you could purchase enough for two. I think that it comes at a width of 52" or so. If you get a big pumpkin growing you will need all of 2-2.5 yards in length. I have a couple different sizes on hand for ease of operation.

6/1/2012 4:49:49 PM

Colorado

shade cloth-20-30% ,metal fence posts,.25 inch rope and spring clips you can buy at home depot. you can desighn a grid-suspend the shade cloth on ropes tied to the posts.clip the ends to the rope with the spring clamps. shade cloth at greenhouse mega store online

6/1/2012 4:59:29 PM

Colorado

shade cloth-20-30% ,metal fence posts,.25 inch rope and spring clips you can buy at home depot. you can desighn a grid-suspend the shade cloth on ropes tied to the posts.clip the ends to the rope with the spring clamps. shade cloth at greenhouse mega store online

6/1/2012 5:00:43 PM

Colorado

sorry I guess your shading a pumpkin not the plant.White sheet works good-you can wet it to stick it to the pumpkin better in the wind/no disease problem leaving it on 24-7

6/1/2012 5:03:26 PM

East Jordan, MI

This is how I do mine. http://www.how2growags.blogspot.com/p/beginners-guide-to-growing-giant_892.html#Shading the pumpkin|outline

They are easy to make, reusable, stay about 3 ft above the pumpkin, allow plenty of airflow, and will withstand 70 MPH winds that we have had.

Here is a link to a picture of how I cut the PVC "T" to make the stabilizers using two of them and a short piece of pipe between the hoops (drilled and tie strapped of course -- wouldn't want one popping out and hitting the pumpkin) This makes them very rigid in all directions.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZwdVUuB8QLM/TUcRquXDf8I/AAAAAAAAADs/ekA0Esfgd3Q/s1600/Split-T.jpg

6/2/2012 8:19:23 AM

43.841677 , -79.086692

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I am wondering if anyone has had success not covering the fruit. Covering the fruit, in theory would trap ethylene gas. (The rippening gas) Covering also prevents the sun from heating the fruit. Wouldnt a warm fruit grow faster than a cold fruit? Ive never had the stones to try growing uncovered but I may do one this year.

6/2/2012 1:03:22 PM

Rhode Island

sheets over the fruit during growth are very beneficial.
they protect the pumpkins exterior and are breathable as well.
left fully exposed to the sun will only harden the pumpkins surface and promote cracking ,etc.
sheets during the day and at night. in cold weather fully expose the pumpkin during the day and then blanket at night.
the only time we take the sheets off is to inspect and or spray the fruit, or on very windy and /or cool days days.

6/3/2012 8:26:34 AM

Joliet, IL

Sheets are fine but as being enough south to get the intense you you are mentioning, you may want to go with a high tarp structure and a sheet for blocking side angled intense july sun and heat. The reason I say this is many midwest growers last year had early and early mid growth aborts from 10 days to 30 days old. There were many posts about people who only used sheets having this occur. Problem with sheets and battling intense heat is you may need to mist or water your entire patch more than some northern growers. Add this to to increased humidity and high heat equals rot pressure as well. This is another reason I now like to tarp all season. I know my pumpkin and soil surrounding pumpkin under mill fabric stays dry. Also I like my blossom nubs and stems free from water as well. Wet sheets can easily shift and lay on a blossom nub and rot sets in. Nothing wrong with using sheets, but for the above reasons I use a silver tarp on one side and white underneath the other. The silver helps reflect heat as opposed to a darker tarp that attracts it. Tarps.com I believe is where you can find them.

6/3/2012 9:25:58 AM

Joliet, IL

Intense heat that should read

6/3/2012 9:27:05 AM

Sourthern Utah

i cover at night till mid june,, sometimes later,, depending on seasons,, usually take the plastic off.. mid june.. still use blankets/quilts to put over the hoop frames,, i like that added extra temp,, they hold in,, sometimes only 6 or 8 degrees but it makes a difference at end of seasn,, just my way,,

6/3/2012 6:32:32 PM

Westmoreland, KS

Thanks for all the great info folks i'm going to try a couple different methods on each plant and see which one works better. One will be the sheet i'll see if i have any problems with rot because of our high humidity and on the other plant i'm going to try to build a structure out of 2x4's and a tarp to cover the pumpkin this way i till hopefully not blow around in the wind. I'll be sure to post pictures.

6/7/2012 11:44:24 AM

Westmoreland, KS

o and Cntryboy thanks for that awesome webpage

6/7/2012 11:49:23 AM