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Clayton, NC

Trying my best to keep a pumpkin healthy until Elkin and the NC State Fair. Keeping it rubbed down daily with Captan & milk, have mouse traps surrounding the pumpkin with Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets; the kin is covered with a PVC cave. Growth slowed to < 4 lb/day and color now orange and green. Everything looks good bud the vine is deteriorating (age and some downey).

Question: should I try to get this onto a pallet and into a commercial cold room. (~45 degrees), or should a healthy under the above circumstances last for 4 more weeks? I had a much smaller on than this go down to rot this morning.

Thanks,

Olympian
Jack Bacheler
Clayton, NC

9/1/2013 10:42:41 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Keep it on the vine as long as possible

9/2/2013 8:51:39 AM

Partlow,Va

It won't last 4 weeks like that. I was in the exact same situation last year and it lasted only a week in the field after it stopped growing. Keep it on the vine as long as you can but when the vine is done(sounds close)you had better move it to a cool spot(if possible) like in a barn and put a fan on it. They rot very quickly down south.
Good luck

9/2/2013 9:24:37 AM

Tinykinville

Do not put milk on your pumpkin it contains sugar (lactose). Sugar is food for bacteria the last thing you want on your pumpkin skin if trying to keep it healthy. Ten percent bleach/90 percent water much better to spray kin with it will kill bacteria.

9/2/2013 11:35:04 AM

Clayton, NC

Thank you for the replies. I should have said that the vine is 100% good - it's the leaves that are declining and the OTT's slowing, though most leaves still generally okay. If the OTT stops, I still wonder if an industrial cold room might help - shady barns around here would likely average 85-90
in an average Sept.

Jack

9/2/2013 5:06:47 PM

Piqua, Ohio

That might be considered a preserved fruit in a cooler, barn with a fan is a good option.

9/2/2013 8:08:35 PM