RE: Wool over the eyes
In the daytime, the sun will warm a blanket which in turn will
warm the fruit. It will moderate the heat absorbed by the
pumpkin, somewhat but the top surface of a pumpkin will warm up
quite a bit on hot days. A shade cover over the fruit is still
the best bet to keep the heat off during the day.
I think on hot days, if much of the plant was covered with a
40% - 50% shade cloth, it would not stess the plant out as
much. The leaves would stay undamaged and green longer and
more juice would be available during the hot period to pump up
the pumpkin.
However, I have not figured out a way a practical way to do
this. Ideally, you would flip your shade cover over the plant
when it started to get hot and take it off after it cools down.
That way you get plenty of full sun in the morning and evenings
and throttle it back some mid-day. Nice idea but not easy to
implement.
I use a heavy shade cloth (80%) just over the new growth. Once
it sun hardens somewhat I let the leaves get full sun. I see
very little sun scorch on leaves as a result.
I also use a wool blanket over my fruit - also old tee shirts,
baby blankets, comforters, moving blankets and drop cloths.....
I avoid letting the wool blanket touch the pumpkin and usually
throw an old sheet over it first. Don't ask me why. Wool
always makes me scratch. I wouldn't want an ichy pumpkin....
vince
--- Toby <mr-sprout@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> I would like to echo question #2-3, since I am battling dry,
> high heat, too.
>
> #2... Can a blanket cook your fruit?
>
> #3... I am especially wondering if my plants will fare better
> if I
> provide partial shade for the entire plant. They seem to be
> stressed from the heat all the time.
>
> Toby
>
> mr-sprout@sbcglobal.net
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