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Cochecton, NY

Found a small split on the stem end of the fruit. Put some captan and then a fan on it for a few days. Nice and dry, found a small one today on the blossom end. Repeated process of first split. Am I doomed or is there a chance it will hold up?

8/17/2009 2:01:48 PM

all you need is rib crack for trifecta?

dont sound good but i gotta ask how has your watering been done, how often etc

8/17/2009 2:14:38 PM

Cochecton, NY

I water by hand with a hose. Same with my ferts. With all the rain in NY since June, I have only watered four times this season. Mother nature has done the rest.

8/17/2009 4:23:41 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

Have you thought of useing some calcium soaked towels. My pumpkin is growing at about 19 lbs a day since the weather got better here in R.I. I have a few small small splits in the stem end. I soaked a towel in liquid calcium, not a strong solution. I jammed it into the blossom end i also drapped a calcium soaked towel on the pumpkin itself letting it sit for a few hours. The surface of my pumpkin is cantaloping and growing quickly the last place Calcium will end up is at the blossom end. It remains to be seen if the app. Of calcium will be absorbed by directly contact with the fruit. I'll remove the towel later tonight. The stem area was painted with anti fungal paist. Hope this helps. I wish you luck. Let us know how you make out. Anyone else have any imput? Let's try to help save this mans pumpkin!

8/17/2009 5:20:40 PM

Cochecton, NY

Where would one get said calcium from? Yes if anyone can help save my pumpkin, that would be great!
Thanks in advance
Nick

8/17/2009 6:35:12 PM

Cochecton, NY

It has already been a crappy season, avoiding an explosion or worse would be nice.

8/17/2009 6:35:53 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

I got my liquid calcium at Agway. It's not to expensive and it does a world of good or you could use Joel Hollands biomin Calcium. The Holland name speaks for itself.

8/17/2009 6:53:03 PM

[email protected]

Calcium might have prevented the splits but heal them???

Try latex caulk IMMEDIATELY after a breach is noted & make sure things are very clean before sealing.

8/17/2009 7:32:51 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Funny you should mention that Steve. I am dealing with a small split to the cavity between two ribs. So far I've plugged it with Captan paste with no increase in size of the split. My question is: Is it legal to weigh a pumpkin at a GPC weigh-off that has been "repaired" with latex caulk? Would it be exhibition only?

8/17/2009 8:37:26 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Calcium soaked towels for stem and blossom end splits....cmon Kenny...I know you are just trying to help but as Tremor mentioned...that ain't gonna do anything for the splits now.

Big24...do what you've been doing with the captan and fan (I use sulphur powder) and hopefully they won't get any bigger and they will just scab over...good luck with it!!

8/17/2009 8:42:37 PM

Ohio

I once was a believer in the calcium raps when I first started growing, then to find out later all I was doing was wasting my time and money.

Here is what I was told about a calcium towels raps.... a Pumpkin skin does not have the pours like say leaves have, and the skin will not absorb calcium . Only way your pumpkin will get calcium is through the leaves as a foil or through the roots.

8/17/2009 9:10:24 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

I spray the leaves with Calcium once a week. I only use the towels to prevent......a split. Anti fungal paste and keeping the split dry.....as far as calcium soaked towels are concerned...... There doesn't seem to be any evidence out there to support if it works. I've been doing it because of the aparent sag lines that i've gotten. I've been told by some local growers that it may work. That's what I base my knowledge on. Worth a try! :)

8/17/2009 10:05:37 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

On Joel Hollands 2008 video. He demonstrates how to use calcium soaked towels on the blossom end of a Pukos 998. Certainly a man with such knowledge on pumpkins and practices would have some evidence on such things. I don't want to chance it. I already had a fast growing pumpkin split on me. I must say it broke my heart! Lol!

8/17/2009 10:19:25 PM

Rhode Island

its been our experience that the thickness and durability of a pumpkins exterior comes from within ( wall thickness) not without.

calcium and potash sprays, along with sea crop and epsom salts are good.
calcium soaked towels in our experiences are a waste of time.i have known several ri growers who used to use them years ago and found no benefit.

if a pumpkin is going to split its going to split and all the wraps and towels in the world will not help.

ditto for sag lines into deep rib lines. only by the grace of god will the fruit not blow a pin hole,

pap

8/18/2009 1:51:16 PM

[email protected]

giantpumpkindude said:

"Funny you should mention that Steve. I am dealing with a small split to the cavity between two ribs. So far I've plugged it with Captan paste with no increase in size of the split. My question is: Is it legal to weigh a pumpkin at a GPC weigh-off that has been "repaired" with latex caulk? Would it be exhibition only?"

CORRECT - Exhibition only at a GPC event.

8/18/2009 6:57:46 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Thanks Steve.

8/18/2009 9:28:00 PM

Cochecton, NY

so basically it is only an exhibition fruit @ this time?

Thanks for coming out in the masses everyone. Just goes to show that the growing community is a friendly and helpful one!

8/18/2009 9:46:41 PM

Cochecton, NY

or since I have not used caulk it can still be officially weighed?

8/18/2009 9:47:30 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

BIG24NUT....If your split does not enter the cavity and heals by itself, it will be an officially weighed fruit. Any sealing of a cavity wound will be exhibition only, but an official weight nonetheless. It just won't place.

8/18/2009 10:46:32 PM

[email protected]

A breach into the cavity will always be DQed. Official entries must be free of foreign matter so caulk would have to be removed.

That said; A youth grower brought us a caulked entry last year. He did well but wasn't in the top Ten so we left the caulking.

Removing the caulk would have doomed his fruit to mush & for what?

8/19/2009 10:18:25 AM

Cochecton, NY

The splits are now dry! I hope they stay that way. Nothing has breached the cavity yet. This next few days will tell. I am heading down to Bristol for the night race. Got a little shower earlier today, I am going to give a look in the mornig b4 I leave. If a light spritz is due, I will do so. If not, my awesome neghbor will keep me posted and do the deed if needed! Wish me luck.....

8/20/2009 12:48:08 AM