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Pa

here is my situatuion. I have a 400pd fruit on my plant and noticed a small hole in the pumpkin about 2 weeks ago. The hole started small and has now expanded to the size of a dime. It is located dead center, top of the fruit. I probed it with a small wire and it is at a depth of 1 inch. a small area around the hole (maybe 1/4in) is starting to turn brown. Im still gaing 4'' a day cc. Is this problem correctable? can i save it? could you please lend me your knowledge on how to fix it? I was gonna spray with bleach, sprinkle with sulphur and then captan. This is my first "surgery" and i want to do all i can to fix it. Thank you for any and all help you can give me.

8/3/2010 9:42:32 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Have you noticed any frass or sawdust type shavings on the edges? I had the same thing and I cut a vine borer out of a jacko earlier this year.

8/3/2010 9:46:38 AM

Pa

i have nothing on the edges like that, just the skin looking a bit brown. i havent seen signs of a borer, but im looking for any advice or help i can get

8/3/2010 9:51:26 AM

Colorado Springs, Co ([email protected])

sammy, you are on the right track. clean it , then captan or sulpher and put a fan on it if you have to so it dries out and heals. never seen a borer get into a fruit itself so i doubt highly that is what it is. sounds like a wound that is trying to get fungal to me. so clean it, captan and or sulpher and dry it out and keep it dry hopefully it will heal.

8/3/2010 10:22:26 AM

Pa

i didnt think it was aborer either, started out as a small pinhole, and grew as the pumpkin did. the fruit had a small depression in this area earlier. thanks for your help Will. ill gladly listen to any/all ideas.....

8/3/2010 10:28:25 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Borers don't get in fruits? Although not common, they definitely do... see below.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=138443

8/3/2010 10:51:50 AM

Pa

luke, how did your removal go? did you save it?that was a nice size grub.

8/3/2010 10:53:52 AM

Upa Creek, MO

It started as a small whole that became swollen and once I noticed frass I knew what it was. The pumkin is fine and in storage today after I cleaned, treated and dried it.

Yours doesn't sound like a borer though especially since it started as a depression. Like Will said, sounds like you are on track. Just keep it clean and dry the best you can.

8/3/2010 11:01:44 AM

Pataskala,OH

Maybe this is why some pumpkins mysteriously stop growing in early August.

8/3/2010 1:05:58 PM

Sammy, see my reply to your post in the Pests and Diseases message board.

8/3/2010 1:19:35 PM

How is that hole coming for you Sammy? Is your pumpkin still growing or has it stopped? Your uncle may be on his way out too. BIG cracks in the stem end.

8/8/2010 9:44:12 PM