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Bristol R.I. USA

I'm hearing a lot of atrange questions about bleaching the Pumpkin and not bleaching. I was always told that a solution of 1 to 10 parts of water was good for killing any pathagens and those things that will hurt the fruit. I was advised to do it once a week for the overall health of the fruit also I was told to use the solution on a wet stem around the ribbs of the pumpkin to disenfect the pumpkin and again to kill any pathogens. I was having an Issue with a wet stem.

I took some strate bleach about a table spoon and washed the stem down and put some sulfer powder on it without any water. I put down a fan for about 4 hours and the plants stem began to dry up. I understand that at this stage of the game that the plant and pumpkins are reaching there peak and they certainly are open to plenty of diseases and mishaps....

9/15/2009 2:27:37 PM

[email protected]

Bleach is a very dilute (6-8% I Think) chlorine solution for laundry. If you were a certified pool person you would already know about straight 80% chlorine...the stuff that burns holes in jeans...It's dangerous stuff but wow does it ever kill germs, fungus, bacteria...just about everything.

Anyway,

9/15/2009 3:16:58 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

A nice dilute solution, say, one cap full of household bleach in a quart or more of water, is a good routine maintenance routine for the fruit. Especially if you have any scratches or scrapes. It should "help" prevent impurities from getting into the flesh.

Once there are problems in the flesh, I'm not sure anything will help. I would also avoid straight household bleach... don't have any first-hand knowledge on it, but it would concern me.

9/15/2009 4:41:33 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

One of the top growers told me to use strate bleach 1 tsp. For a wet stump. He said to keep it from the pumpkin. I did what he said and the stem is doing well.

9/15/2009 5:19:48 PM

Ohio

Ask Don Young about Bleach,,, aint that right Don?!,,,lol,,, he used 100% bleach on his stem on his 1662 with no problems. Not that I would recomend that but it worked for him.
10 % Bleach and water is plenty to dry things out and kill germs like Tremor suggested.

9/17/2009 6:46:31 AM

straight bleach on vine here and or stem/stump then throw sulpher powder on dry i do sponge pumpkin with 10 % solution late season

9/17/2009 7:36:33 AM