From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Buffalo, New York

This late in the season, should we still be trying to shade the pumpkin from the sun, or is it ok to give it some sun to help ripen her up alittle?

Her weighoff is in about 3 weeks.

9/10/2009 12:50:21 AM

Leerdam, The Netherlands

Good question.
anybody?
Isn't shading only for young skin?

Iwan

9/10/2009 3:49:24 AM

Joliet, IL

good question. i warm her up a bit in the afternoon with the tarp and sheets off when a cool night is coming just to get a little more internal heat in the pumpkin before it goes under the blanket. but i would still think if you have one growing, anything to prevent it from totally maturing and quitting would be a good thing. once she is totally ripe, that is it or close to the end. so is still place the sheet over and tarps if rains. after it is done growing, i think a sun shade tarp is good cuz you want to keep the pumpkin cool at that point and less evaporation the heating it up in the sun would not be the best thing to do when done growing. just theories. i am curious what others think.

9/10/2009 8:06:38 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

I let the sun get to it when its reasonably warm out in sept. I mean come on the warm breezy weather isnt gonna hurt the fruit. At night i cover the pumpkin with 3 blankets and a tarp. One must remember that as long as you protect from extream heat and all frost the pumpkin will be okay and will continue to grow.

9/10/2009 8:14:27 AM

[email protected]

We continue to use sheets 24/7 unless it blows off.

9/10/2009 9:22:19 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I'm at altitude with extra UV so I will leave mine covered until they get lifted out or cut up.

9/10/2009 10:44:31 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I remove my covers during sunny September days like Shazzy to warm the fruit up during the day but also to bring some more color to the pumpkins.

I'm at an altitude too Okie and unless you are growing on the tops of the Alps it makes little to no differance...UV index is raised by 4% every 1000 feet.

9/10/2009 12:35:24 PM

Ohio

I agree with North on that one, although the sun can still get hot this time of year all over the united states, UV rays will be relatively the same all over, the heat and humid temps is what gets the pumpkin I think.
Heck, isn't Colorado closer to the sun then most states? and look how it stays relatively cool,,lol

I keep mine covered up with a sheet ,and at night when it gets to cold I use a old thick bed spread blanket. Only if Im sure its still growing will I uncover it on really cold mornings to let the sun warm it back up ,then Ill cover it back up late morning. If I knows its stopped growing I will keep it covered until weigh off.

I think the pumpkin needs some fresh air every now and then, just not that hot sun beating down on it.

9/10/2009 1:08:09 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

i have an intersting peice of info here: i didnt use any shade at all this year. and i have not just one but two pumpkins more than 450 lbs OVER MY PB. just how much are they taping? see you at longwood gardend oct 17!

9/10/2009 1:20:12 PM

Joliet, IL

i just went back and looked through my diary, and realized that i started to lose more poundage at a faster rate per day immediately following the day that i put up a tyvek shade structure to block all sun from hitting the pumpkins and stopped using the sheets. it has me thinking that enough light and heat go through the sheet and helps growth rates more than a tarp. i just like the security after day 40 with the tarps as far as rain and moisture hitting my stems and areas around the base of my pumpkins to avoid too much moistire in the soil under the kin. next year, i will use the sheets only and tarp directly over the sheets at night when chances of rain or when overhead watering. if it was just one pumpkin it happened to it would be one thing, but all 3 pumpkins reacted the same way to the tarp as opposed to the sheets after looking at the data.

9/10/2009 5:58:17 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

If Longwood is too far to drag, we're the same weekend here in Beatiful Boise City! :)

9/10/2009 7:25:57 PM