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Oklahoma State Record Holder

What is the best/easiest way to build a cover to protect my fruit from the heat?

6/12/2009 8:47:09 PM

San Jose [email protected]

not sure how to protect from heat, but from sun is easy

put a sheet over your pumpkin

6/12/2009 9:22:58 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

I want to build something taller. I meant to say Sun Shelter. I have a plastic chair, but I want something better than that.

6/12/2009 9:33:51 PM

SE Minnesota

Not sure how it would work for you but we use fence posts, a 4 x 6 or 6 x 8 tarp with some zip ties. One over the top at a minimum and then 2-4 for the sides depending upon how much coverage you want. Good luck.

6/12/2009 10:19:54 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Pound rebar in each corner of a 5x5' to 6x6' square, then put two 10' pieces of 1/2" thinwall PVC over to make two ribs.

Use a 10x12' blue tarp and get a grommet setter kit from Harbor Freight and add some as needed... put the arches so the curve arcs from east to west, short the north side, and have the south side hang down to fill in the half circle. Wire into place, that's why you might need more grommets. Give it several inches at the bottom on the south side and a few inches on the west, several inches on the east, at dirt, for air.

You can get in there with the pumpkin... if your blossom end is south make sure you can open the south side to work on pumpkin. Blue tarp works fine. I make mine to fit the piece of mill cloth I have put down and orient it to fit that. If you have it any other direction, don't bring the west side to much below leaf level if that is your stem side. You need to get at the stem but don't want ANYTHING to touch the fruit of the tarp.

Good luck. Dragging yours to our weighoff?

6/12/2009 10:47:07 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Tec, I use t-posts and a tarp, carefully fit over the top!!! I put used, and cleaned coffee mate (plastic) containers over the t-posts to keep the tarp from tearing!!! Adjusting the tarp to your liking usually takes me several tries, but not that hard to adjust. Peace, Wayne

6/13/2009 1:23:49 AM

Okla

The one thing you have to look out for is the heat build up here in the hotter climates. With the blue tarps you have a very high heat build up under it and that will cause your fruit to mature to fast. The best thing so far is have the plant under a shade cover and maybe use white sheets on the fruit itself. Amigatec email me and I will give you some more details about shade cover.

6/13/2009 1:25:58 AM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

Debbie where is your weighoff?

6/13/2009 6:00:59 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I have not had heat problems that I could tell, just make sure you get enough air flow under the edges, and get it up off the fruit so any radiation heating can also be vented away-leaving north side open really helps with venting! Use a silver UV proof tarp if you are worried about heat buildup. I will be putting sensors on one this year to make sure... I don't like sheets because of the slugs, had a few fruits eaten into the cavity because of it.... We are also over 4100 feet so we can UV burn more.

Weighoff is Oct 17th, in Boise City, two blocks west and one block north of the courthouse. There will be signs so once you get into town-go to the traffic circle around the courthouse and you can't miss it! All six highways merge at the courthouse, this is an easy city to navigate... iffin anyone needs I'll give you the number of an escort truck service ('if you can drag it we can flag it') but they can get trailers two lanes wide and over 135' long through that traffic circle.

I will hopefully be building some shade shelters next weekend and will take pictures.

6/13/2009 10:48:35 AM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

That's a bit far for me. I plan to go to Republic MO on the 3rd of Oct.

6/13/2009 4:04:07 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

I have my Shade built for the pumpkins.

I'll post pictures soon.

6/13/2009 4:04:49 PM

[email protected]

White floating row cover fabric.

6/13/2009 7:41:17 PM