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Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

There is more to growing a beautiful orange pumpkin then tossing a seed with good genetics in the patch. I’ve grown a few nice orange pumpkins but manage to scratch them while working on them. For those who grow flawless beauties what tips can you pass along to us? How to stop leaves from scratching it, what do you use to cover it, do you measure it etc.

2/25/2011 6:12:04 PM

Ohio

Although mine was not flawless, I cut the leaves off around the pumpkin so that they don't even have a chance to scratch it. I also use sheets to cover it at all times along with a tarp canopy above it. I had a couple cuke beetles nibble on mine last year so I started putting a light coating of seven directly on the pumpkin. Also, grow them on Styrofoam, growing them in sand will cause the bottom and sides to not get orange.

2/25/2011 7:23:25 PM

[email protected]

Once you've decided it's a keeper, I remove the leaves early so they never are in a position to scratch it, just as Tim said.

For covers I prefer two white sheets, when its small I just use one full size sheet folded into half or quarters as needed. Also when it's small don't wrap the covers around it too tightly, I like to keep them lose so they can move as it expands quickly and so some air can circulate under the cover.

If using overhead watering cover the fruit with a tarp. If you're not using overhead watering I wouldn't mess with the tarp.

When it's very young I use clean plain white towels. Don't ever slide them across the pumpkin when applying or removing them, that will scratch it too if you've got any small bits of dirt on the towel.

Handle the pumpking and its covers as little as possible and don't measure too much.

For all my pumpkins, orange or not, I apply a mixture of fungicide and insecticide to the stem and blossom once a week by hand sprayer. For the fungicide I rotate daconil and mancozeb, and for the insecticide I use bifenthrin. I mix them at the same rates you would use if you were applying it as a foliar. This seems to keep the stems and blossoms fresher looking. It also seems to keep them from getting as "woody", which is usually a precusor to stem rot.

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head for now.

2/25/2011 10:49:01 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

As carefull as you try to be, sometimes little nicks will happen and then we know what happens as the fruit grows.

I nicked mine with a finger nail early last year and that little slip up ended up being a 1 foot long scar as the pumpkin grew and stretched.

Good advice Tim and Kevin...I use thin white sheets as well and have them in several sizes.

Also...just don't measure every day...maybe once a week.

2/26/2011 2:02:16 AM

Ohio

I usally have Wiz or Biz rotate every 12 hours to sit on my pumpkin like a hen sits on her egg. I do make double sure that they take off their boots and do not wear their back pocket chain wallets that could easily scratch the pumpkin.
One other benefit is they both will cook a diddle do do do every morning around 500 am that wakes me up in the morning so Im at work on time.

2/26/2011 4:37:36 AM

Georgetown, Ontario

Hey Brooks....do you have the recipe for diddle do do do? I've never had one but it sounds delicious.

2/26/2011 6:46:30 AM

long Island

Does anyone ever try to grow Cinderella style?

I have. Its a lot of vine stress management.
Last year I tried using one of those black iron stakes that holds a hanging pot. I placed it next to the main and as the pumpkin got bigger and higher, I would adjust the pc of twisty wire and foam to match the height of the pumpkin.
I cut one of those foam pool noodles about 8 inches long. Then I cut it in half the long way. This revealed the hollow interior of the noodle. I then placed the halved noodle under my main vine. It fit the main perfectly. This provided all the cushioning I needed to attach the pc. of wire to the main.
Its a lot of work to keep up with it but I had absolutely no main vine stress and managed to grow a beautiful orange 340 lb-er in the storybook shape.
I am thinking about trying this again.
Am I crazy? Please feel free to comment. I can take it.

2/26/2011 10:20:47 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Keep it up BOZnuttZ....your gonna get yourZ soon.....I see you in Niagara dude.....lol

2/26/2011 10:44:14 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Yes Wally you are crazy, but it takes one to know one.

I agree with North Shore, don't measure it everyday. That is how I got the majority of my scratches.

2/26/2011 12:37:03 PM

South Hero, VT

Brooks, is Metamucil used to make a diddle do do do?
Thanks everyone else for the tips on preventing marks on pumpkins.

2/26/2011 2:55:19 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Wowzers...pool noodles & AG's...who wooda thot it? LOL Peace, Wayne
makes since tho!!! Great idea!!!
PS..."hollow interior of the noodle" has me in tears!!!! Laughing that is!!!!!!!!!

2/26/2011 2:56:43 PM

Ohio

lol Wiz!

2/26/2011 10:26:07 PM

Ham Lake, Minnesota

813.5 Foss from 2006 still sticks in my mind as the best looking pumpkin I have seen with my own eyes.

2/28/2011 11:46:36 AM

Ohio

although I didn't see it in person 1159 Richards is by far the best true orange pumpkin.

2/28/2011 7:58:45 PM