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Little-TON - Colorado

It it just geneticZ? Most of my blossom ends this year have ended up diving down.....

Just like WrinkleZ....I have never had a bird bath....

IZ it the way itZ postioned....?? Mine are on sand on top of mill fabric...thought the sand would let it move freeier......
your thoughtZ.....welcome......even Eddy'Z....lol

8/15/2011 5:34:14 PM

Duxbury,Ma.

If the pumpkin was suspended in mid -air do you think the blozzom would dive down?

8/15/2011 6:45:00 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Same for me this year on a couple Wiz...rolled them forward and put sand under (on top of mill fabric) and lowered the vine/stem a couple times till the right blossom end to stem end ratio was established.

8/15/2011 6:45:22 PM

Mass

OK, so what is the desired or correct stem to blossom ratio. stem = blossom stem higher, stem lower? I have a couple I cant even see the blossom, and I think I had stem a little higher, or close to parallel. Ive heard some say they dont jack up the vine right awat to avoid the diving.

8/15/2011 8:11:38 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I just meant adjusting so that the stem and blossom end are equal distance (equidistant) from the ground/sand.

8/15/2011 8:26:25 PM

Riverton, WY

I've often wondered if a pumpkin has more of a tendancy to do that if the bottom of the pumpkin & soil underneath is considerably cooler than the average temps surrounding the rest of the pumpkin.

8/16/2011 12:18:29 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Wiz, just a thought...more sand under blossom end...the measurement say "Parallel to the ground" ? Yes ?, a couple years back a new GA. state record was set by a pkn grown almost completely upside down!!! Ask Jason D!!? Thinkin Jason said he dug a hole under his!!! Peace, Wayne

8/16/2011 3:41:52 AM

Muddy Waters

I think its the economy were All Tighting our Buttoucks a little!LOL

8/16/2011 6:44:08 AM

Joliet, IL

Wiz, sometimes when the blossom is pointing a little up on about day 10 or so early on I will raise the vine by severing taps and styrofome blocking the main at stem area to avoid birdbaths. I do not like even dew moisture forming in a bowl around the blossom nub for rot reasons. When doing this, even though you brought both stem and blossom nub parellel to the ground, the pumpkin would have probably corrected itself with time and the shoulders would fill out more and the nb would fall back down to center with growth. After day 15 if the decided they are gonna dive blossom down then they are going to do it anyways. And sometimes nothing you are gonna do stops them from wanting to dive down anyways. Check pics from my 1725 harp pumpkin this year. The ass cheeks are down and now supporting the blossom end ass they grow out. Hopefully this structural shape disperses the load and any pressure on the actual blossom is relieved as it grows. And this one has a low stem side and not tilted at all so it just wants to grow a big ass and set it on the ground. Good thing with this shape that you have more or all solid meat to the ground on the backside so the stem to blossom ott measurement has little to no air in the concave area of the readings. My ass end down pumpkins typically weigh over the chart.

8/16/2011 11:28:52 AM

Rhode Island

wiz, there seems to be a lot of blossom end diving in your patch ???????????? --------lol

8/16/2011 7:23:18 PM

Joliet, IL

lol pap.......best belly laugh of the day!!!!!!!!!!

8/16/2011 8:46:34 PM

Littleton, Colo

Ron....I think you're on to something here.....I detect a flaw in my technique over the last couple of years and I'm going to change how I cover the fruit next year.....we already do everything that was mentioned in this post so I think it's my mistake.......been making a lot lately....

8/16/2011 10:21:05 PM

Colorado

wizzy a hydraulic jack and 2 by 10's will get your blossums up to eye level

8/17/2011 12:35:05 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

BizZZY one is right...we are already doing everything mentioned above with blocks and stem end to blossom end parallel..... they just take a dive...but not all do......

Thanks for the additional food for thought......Back to busy...

8/17/2011 1:55:39 PM