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Simi valley, ca

Please see my diary, I got some advice last night that sounded good , But i wondered if anyone has had a similar split that pumpkin made it to end ? it is only 16 days old ?

7/29/2010 7:36:23 PM

Springfield, VT

The split in the pictures is not a problem, just a little captan and it should be fine. The split is caused by a fast growing pumpkin and will heal over

7/29/2010 7:59:40 PM

Pataskala,OH

I had one do that one year and it did not bother anything. Mice got it though later on.

7/29/2010 8:43:14 PM

Ohio

Fish, what will usually start a stem split most every time(in my personal opinion) is no slack in the main vine and the secondary off the pumpkin,(It dont take much tension on the stem, even if it looks like you have slack) to start a stem to split. Alot of growers seem to think you need your main vine way up in the air even with the pumpkin when sometimes that isnt the case but only starts a stem split because they move it up way higher then it really should be causing more problems.

As long as I can wiggle the vines and keep the main even with the pumpkins stem as it grows I usually never have a problem. Slack is a big key I think to having any stem issues. Moving the pumpkin back or moving the pumpkin forward can also fix the problem.

When the pumpkin is to big to move I will grab ether the blue insulation(from Lowe's) ,or the mill fabric its sitting on in the front two corners of the insulation/fabric and will ether pull the pumpkin back or pull the fabric forward to relieve tension off the vine, you will find it will slide very easy letting you get some tension of the stem. This is one reason why I grow on the blue insulation.

7/30/2010 7:51:45 AM

Simi valley, ca

Thanks for the responses everybody! Now that i think about it- you may be right brooks I have always brought the stem up after pollination ,I never thought it was to much stress but you may be right, this is the first small pumpkin i have grown that has split at that point, there are 4 other pumpkins after that one that did not split,but some have very small cracks on stem more than usual maybe kind of genetic as well ! maybe i will have to stop lifting the vine at pumpkin , O the other pumpkin after that one would be hard to grow now there close to fence pole & i think this will get the biggest if i does not split the rest of the way ! I will see ! thanks !

7/30/2010 11:43:38 AM

Simi valley, ca

It use to be big disappointment after all the work ! so many
years in a row i am just getting used to it now, still hurts but i am more used to it , but its not over yet! I would sure like to have one that made it to its full potential,
JUST ONCE! JUST ONE YR !!

First yr i had 4 nice pumpkins but i did not know enough to have big enough plants, & did not know how to treat PM but still got a 872 not bad!

Other yrs its been heat waves fallowed buy cold spells!

All pumpkins splinting!

Squirrels chewing off vines!

Diseases!!

More diseases !!

Try ed bleaching patch with 200 gallons bleach!!

And now i am in new patch with no diseases but this stem split!!

Well at least no one can say i haven't tried hard !!!

Maybe this pumpkin will still make it , Finely!!

I will keep trying eater way !!

7/30/2010 12:06:17 PM

Simi valley, ca

I scuba dive the islands off the coast here, started to dive in 1983 I saw these huge fish called sheepshead they are great to eat & ok to take ! there was occationally a huge one come into my vision, but not close enough to speare him! But i came out sometimes every week trying to- in the summer & many times in winter, For many years i tryed to get that 30 lber, then over 10 yrs later & many 10-20 lbers later tons of abalone hundreds of lobster -One day (still trying & having my spear gun with me , There it is , Bam ,I got one, Turns out to be bigger than the worlds record , Record was 40.5 lbs & mine was 42 lbs , I dont give up easy , I may never get a WR pumpkin , But for all of you that grew one over a 1000 lber , if it came easy or hard, just remember over all its not that easy ! Atleast for everyone its not , I guess thats what keeps me chasing it !!

7/30/2010 12:31:23 PM