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Joliet, IL

With little rain and sporadic heat spells, I have left shade/rain tarps off the pumpkins. I have a fan blowing on each stem tilted upward which you can see billows secured sheets and blow air from the cooler shaded leaf canopy down rib lines....like a cushion of air circulated below the white sheets. I have never intentionally set this up prior to it this season, but now make sure to plug in set up fans during heat spells for circulation then unplug when cool nights and blanketed. Seems to make sense and hasn't hinderedgrowth so figured I would ask if others do this and share what seems to be a good technique.

9/9/2013 7:28:59 PM

Joliet, IL

I only tarp with silver tarps reflecting up on prolonged heat spells or rainy periods

9/9/2013 7:31:12 PM

Joliet, IL

And by this I mean overhead high shade/rain canopies that I attach to rebar I position early around mill fabric.

9/9/2013 7:34:18 PM

Central Minnesota

I only use fans if I have an area I need to dry. I use white sheets during hot periods, white blankets at night and then on cold nights and cold days I use dark colored winter blankets. I am a big believer in putting the sheet directly on the pumpkin. I think it actually keeps it cooler on very hot days.

9/10/2013 9:48:14 AM