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Location

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Date Posted

Belgium

Two of my pumpkins had a stem split and one a blossem end split. What could be the reason ? What can I do that it never happens ?

9/6/2009 3:14:36 PM

Rhode Island

grow smaller pumpkins and splits are never a problem (usually)OR grow only pumpkins that have no reputation for splitting.( sometimes if you jack up your soil to much this also can cause blow outs )

its all part of the game LVH. welcome to the world of competition growing, of big daily weight gains and a trail of broken dreams.

9/6/2009 6:16:58 PM

Joliet, IL

try adding a lot more calcium to your soil this fall and more magnesium to correlate and see if it helps next year. not a gauranteed answer, but if you keep the ratio balanced, i believe more calcium in the soil means plenty for the fast growing pumpkins to use it up consistently. if too little available, then it gets used up quickly early on in the vegetative stage and early pumpkin growing stage and then becomes less available. i have gone heavy on gypsum and use calcite calcium too. a good way to get the magnesium is with k-mag, which is a natural potassium and magnesium. greensmiths in the usa sells k-mag, along with calcite calcium and humic acid if needed. they sell sulfur in bulk if you need to drop your ph. you can get gypsum at any higher end agricultural stores or feed outlots.

this is the same prinipal for tomotoes splitting, blueberry and cherry splitting, and squash splitting. lower calcium levels will lead to splitting more frequently.

9/6/2009 7:37:52 PM