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Breslau, Ontario, Canada

I discovered a small split forming starting on the stem and going into the body of the pumpkin this morning on the best pumpkin in my patch. It's not deep, but I've been worried sick about it all day. I applied a generous amount of Sulpher paste to it.

Is there something I can do to get the crack going up into the stem instead of the pumpkin? Like cutting into the stem

8/26/2009 1:13:27 AM

Ohio

John, make sure you have plenty of play in the vines that meets the stem of your pumpkin, you want to be able to wiggle it pretty easy, sometimes this will take going back on the main(or a secondary), further back then you might think, and cutting one or two tap roots. My guess is you have a little stress on the stem somehow, but if no stress, paint some daconil straight from the bottle on that crack kinda thick filling the crack, she will dry up no problem.

John, btw, that 1402 seed sure does grow some ugly pumpkins , and thats from what I have seen in the past 2 years, and yours is one of them,,LOL!! Boy is that one ugly pumpkin!,,lol!!

Looks like its turning out for the 1402 seed that its not a very good seed to grow (dud) from what I have been seeing the past couple years, but using it as a pollinator and growing that seed , looks like it might be a good one. I think the only thing that 1402 plant is going to be good for is a excellent pollinator (father seed in a cross) for growing future big and heavy pumpkins.

8/26/2009 4:59:29 AM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

Thanks Brooks!
I used the 1402 to pollinate my 1187.5 Hunt (1689 X 1631).

That pumpkin is growing like crazy, well on the way to shattering my PB. I've heard of making slits in the stem perpendicular to the crack to relieve stress.

I can wiggle the vine on either side pretty nicely. I dont think it has any stem stress. I just think it's growing pretty fast. I really want to save this one!

Brooks, I've named the pumpkin on the 1402 the Molar. It looks just like a giant tooth!! lol

8/26/2009 11:19:45 AM