Re: Advice needed, esp from my neighbors

In Southern California, I can plant as late as mid June and still come out
pretty good. I get most of my growth later in the season so you right, you
have to try and time it so your growth period is during the most favorable
time. For me, it's Aug, Sept. Only draw back is you have to hope your really
packing on the pounds each day as you have a shorter number of growing days
before the weigh off. I try to space my planting out so I cover whatever
weather pattern the summer may bring. I start a few plants first or second
week of May and continue starting plants through first week of June. No
frost in my area except maybe a few times in the middle of the winter.
Chelated Calcium has been known to make the fruit last longer.Commercial
watermelon growers dunk there fruit in Calcium before shipment. Helps give
them a longer shelf life.
If you use it on your pumpkins, either just spray it on the fruit or wait
until late season if you're going to spray the whole plant as it makes the
vines, leaf stalks and leaves very brittle.
I still have a 500 pound pumpkin sitting on the side of my house that I only
used a small amount of Calcium on a few times.
Anybody want it ???  :-)  I've also noticed that fruit with a lot of squash
in it seems to last longer. Maybe due to a tougher more dense skin and
pumpkin ?

Bob T.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Smithhisler, Paul" <Paul.Smithhisler@dnr.state.oh.us>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2003 6:45 AM
Subject: RE: Advice needed, esp from my neighbors


> Hey Kathie,
>
> The earliest I've started thus far was tax day, April 15th, and it was for
> an early weigh-off.  In this day of smaller plants, I don't think we need
> the jump-start by starting earlier.  The fruit will most likely only grow
> for a certain number of days, the trick is to have that growth period
during
> the most favorable days.  If your weather becomes unfavorable toward the
end
> of the season, Ray may very well be right about starting the plants now.
> The biggest consideration is getting the fruit picked and stored properly
> before something happens to them.
>
> The fruit I picked on August 15th last year went to a farm in New Jersey
and
> lasted through Halloween, outdoors no less.  This fruit obviously had very
> thin walls at certain points, but it held together.  I guess it depends on
> genetics and what you do to preserve that outer layer.  If you want to
make
> a fruit last longer, I think this can be accomplished by adding Calcium
> directly to the skin as a rub.  From what I understand, this really
> fortifies the skin...my early pumpkin may serve as proof.  Use chelated
> (sp?) calcium if you can find it as it is immediately available to the
> plant.
>
> Just my thoughts...anyone want to jump in and add something?
>
> -Gus
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Kathie Morgan [f*@earthlink.net]
> Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2003 1:20 PM
> To: pumpkins@hort.net
> Subject: Advice needed, esp from my neighbors
>
> Mr Ray Barenchi plans to start my seeds in his greenhouse, just as he
> did last year. He will start them today.
> I'm concerned that this is early, but I'm too inexperienced to know. I
> know Ray has started them earlier and earlier each year.
> Should I be concerned? If so, what can I do to make up for my early
> start?
> Would love to hear from you Napa growers, Boonville, Sonoma County,
> other North Bay growers.
> Thanks!
> Kathie
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index