From

Location

Message

Date Posted

When you talk about keeping the pumpkin warm ,what is the approximate temperature you try to keep it at?Do you want it to feel to the touch like room temperature(70) , cooler or warmer?

9/9/2012 1:15:12 PM

Midway, UT

I've seem at least two posts on this site from people that tried electric blankets on their pumpkins and both said that growth slowed down when they tried that. I'm not sure what the right temperature is but apparently un-naturally warm is not the way to go.

9/9/2012 6:30:43 PM

I put hoop houses over them that i open in the day so they don't get too warm.

9/9/2012 8:16:21 PM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

If the kin is done growin, I don't really mind it to get chilled at night. Kind of like the refridgerater effect on other ripe veggies. (I know a kin is a fruit but you get the idea!!!) If it is still growin?? If it's not broke, don't fix it!!

9/9/2012 8:19:29 PM

43.841677 , -79.086692

Last fall I designed and built what is officially known as the "Pickering Hot House". A 8 x 8' structure about 5" tall covered in clear plastic. In each house I have a 1500 watt digital heater set to 68-70F.
Now, I had major problems last year with coons and other things so I really never had a good chance at proving my design. Another grower I know did. He lives way north of me and gets temps 5-6 degrees colder on average. He grew one of the biggest fruit in Canadian history.

I believe keeping the fruit warm is more important than keeping the plants warm at this time of year. The fruit have a huge thermal mass that would take forever to warm up in the morning. The plant warms up as soon as the sun comes out. Furthermore, the roots of the plant don't get the ups and downs due to the thermal mass of the soil.

9/10/2012 1:11:24 AM

Muddy Waters

I think you need to keep both warm.The water in the kin is the same water in the vine.If one or the other cools they both know it.If you can keep it 5-10 degrees warmer thats huge.Plants shut down at 55 degrees so try to stay above that on cool nights.

9/10/2012 6:53:43 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Great info Chris!! Sorry to disagree with you Mark, but pumpkin plants do not shut down at 55 degrees or I'd be done and could not grow in our climate.

Spring and fall overnight temps are below 55 degrees on a regular basis and we get great fruit growth right till the end of October when overnight temps are well down into the 40s.

9/10/2012 12:32:37 PM

Muddy Waters

But is it growing in the 40s?or is the growth your seeing is when its above 55?

9/10/2012 10:26:00 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Last 6 nights have been 45 degrees and pumpkin is still growing 15 lbs a day...

9/11/2012 1:20:42 AM

Muddy Waters

Is it 45 degrees around the clock?How do you know its growing when its below 55 degrees.You could be right that they grow under 55,but I'm sure they grow better at 60 then 50.So I am shooting for the better growth.I only say the plants shut down at 55 because I have read this in books written by people I thought knew what they were writing about.If I'm wrong please dont tell my wife.She will run with it.lol!

9/11/2012 6:09:12 AM