Re: Pumpkin Headstand -- HELP!

---

• To: G*@aol.com
• Subject: Re: Pumpkin Headstand -- HELP!
• From: n*@ideasign.com (Chris R Wilbers)
• Date: Sun, 03 Aug 1997 22:57:21 -0500
• References: <970803201823_-1139046677@emout15.mail.aol.com>

George,

Well, I got some 1/2" extruded polystyrene and was able with my wife's
help to gently lift the stem end of the pumpkin and get a strip of this
under the shoulders.  This has lifted the pumpkin about an inch off the
vine and the vine up off the ground.  I may try adding strip on top of
strip over the next couple days to gradually give myself even more
breathing room.  I guess I've got to get all I can while I can still
lift this thing!

If I'm successful I hope I'll see the growth rate pick up again within a
few days.

THANKS to you and the others who offered advice.  It looks like the
crisis has passed for the moment...

Until the next one,
Chris Wilbers
Sioux Falls, SD

-----------

GBPUMPKIN@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 97-08-02 23:04:04 EDT, nevus@ideasign.com (Chris R
> Wilbers) writes:
> 
> << Subj:        Pumpkin Headstand -- HELP!
>  Date:  97-08-02 23:04:04 EDT
>  From:  nevus@ideasign.com (Chris R Wilbers)
>  Reply-to:      nevus@ideasign.com
>  To:    pumpkins@athenet.net
> 
>  Dear All,
> 
>  Please bear with the following paragraph as I try to explain my dilemma:
> 
>  I went out to loosen up the vine for several feet on either side of my
>  biggest (80.5" circumference) pumpkin today and discovered that due to
>  its very short stem it is literally standing on its head!  It IS at
>  somewhat of an angle, but the pumpkin's profile is like a squished
>  parallellogram with the stem on the side angling down toward the
>  ground.  I went ahead and loosened the vine up and tried (carefully) to
>  roll the pumpkin backward away from the stem.  The shape of the pumpkin
>  is not allowing it to roll at all.  Believe it or not I still have about
>  a centimeter before I get any significant shoulder stress on the vine,
>  but the pumpkin's weight pressing down on the stem has slightly
>  angulated the vine and there is the start of a crease and almost a crack
>  at the crease.  The growth rate in diameter has slowed lately but it is
>  still a better prospect than the other pumpkin on this plant.  I wedged
>  a couple of soft foam blocks from my canoe carrier under the front end
>  of the pumpkin and this is taking some of the pressure off the vine, but
>  it won't be helpful for more than a day or two.

> 
>  So please help, WHAT CAN I DO TO SAVE MY BIG (for me) "BABY"?
> 
>  All suggestions appreciated,
>  Chris Wilbers
>  Sioux Falls, SD
> 
>   >>
> Rolling back on it’s stem or forward on the flower end sometimes happens from
> a high growth rate.  It can’t seem to hold it self up.  I had a 641 roll over
> on the blossom end and hold up fine, I’ve seen others at the weigh off rolled
> backwards and still survived.  Maybe you could dig some soil out to make room
> for the vine under it.
> 
> George

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