RE: Blossom end split

Bernie, sorry to hear that, especially since it's your biggest one. I had lots of problems with a 1020 Papez that was flat/double/mutant that finally got a fruit set on a substitute main (secondary) and it had a similar split which I captaned & duct taped; it was 36"@10D, 58"@17D, and is much bigger now but so is the hole-- in fact, there is no blossom tip left and it never formed a tan blossom circle on the bottom-- I tapped on the bottom & while the shell's solid except for the blossom bud which broke off, it is also very thin, perhaps less than 1/2". It outgrew the duct tape patch this morning and you can see some white inside, not sure if rot or the extra captan powder I sprinkled in when it cracked. I'm not perfect on keeping good documentation on this specific pumpkin due to all the problems on this plant but I'm pretty sure the split happened the morning the low temps went from the mid-upper 60's to the unusually cold low 50's. I believe a few days before that we had a 2.5" rainfall day.
 
I don't expect much from this pumpkin but will keep it growing as long as possible. It's the only one set on the 1020. Even if I have to cut the bottom 1/2 the pumpkin off & nail a candle to a piece of plywood for a 1/2 circle jack o lantern...
 
Mark
(Buffalo, NY)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pumpkins@hort.net [mailto:owner-pumpkins@hort.net]On Behalf Of Bernie Loewenthal
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 6:48 PM
To: Pumpkins
Subject: Blossom end split

Discovered a new 1" blossom end split on my largest pumpkin. Stuck a pencil in split & did not feel anything. Do I assume the pumpkin is doomed or can it continue to grow well? I closed the split with a Captan paste. Thanks!
Bernie Loewenthal
Stratham NH USA
50 miles due north of Boston MA,
Near the seacoast
New Grower
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