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Re: Support please on pumpkin rot.

Donald wrote:
> 
> Duncan,
> 
> Could you please forward response on to me.  I am having the
> same problem.
> 
> Don

> 
> "John Cooper"  wrote:
>       Date:
>                  Sat, 16 Aug 1997 09:40:33 -0400
>     From:
>                  "John Cooper" <cooper@mindspring.com>
> 
>   Could you give me some advice
> on how to help my poor pumpkins before they die?  They seem to have
> blossom-end rot.  The watering schedule is off due to several days of
> rain.
>  I don't know what type of fertilizer I should use.  There doesn't seem
> to
> be many female flowers.  Some flowers are rotting and have  fuzzy mold
> on
> them.  I have lost several fruit that looked to be doing well.  One just
> shriveled up and another turned orange too soon then started rotting.
> Should I trim less healthy looking pumpkins?  How?  I'm not trying to
> grow
> a monster.  I just want healthy, medium-sized pumpkins.  What do I do?


Per Lubadub:

You have several different problems. Read the following and go from
there.



---------------------------------------

Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet

Department of Horticulture and Crop Science

2001 Fyffe Court, Columbus, OH 43210-1096



Growing Giant Pumpkins In The Home Garden

HYG-1646-94

David A. Mangione
Pickaway County Extension 

General

Growing giant pumpkins can be a fascinating experience. Before you can
master the art of growing a giant,
however, you must be familiar with the basic principles of growing
pumpkins. This information can be found in
the Extension FactSheet entitled "Growing Squash and Pumpkins in the
Home Garden" (HYG-1620). Once
you have become familiar with this information, you are ready to try
your hand at growing a GIANT! 

Fertilizer and Lime 

Always apply lime and fertilizers based on soil test recommendations.
Providing adequate nutrients
throughout the growing season will insure healthy, vigorous vines, not
to mention large pumpkins. Granular
fertilizers should be applied as a broadcast application over the soil
surface and incorporated into the soil 4
to 6 inches deep a few days ahead of setting out your transplants. Giant
pumpkin vines require
approximately 2 pounds nitrogen (N), 3 pounds phosphorous (P2O2) and 6
pounds potash (K2O) per 1,000
square feet of growing space. The addition of organic matter (manure,
etc.) to the garden is important to
establish good soil tilth. 

A foliar feeding program should be started after pollination and fruit
set have occurred. There are several
foliar fertilizers available. Follow label directions and continue
application throughout the growing season. 

Planting and Space Requirements 

Growing giant pumpkins requires an early start. Seeds should be sown
individually and started indoors in
12-inch peat pots about the end of April. A well balanced potting medium
is recommended. Plants are ready
for transplanting when the first true leaf is fully expanded. This is
usually 10 to 14 days after seeding.
Transplants can be protected from late spring frost using a floating row
cover. 

Growing space in the garden is important. Each plant should be allowed
approximately 2,500 square feet.
This area may sound quite large, but it is essential for vine growth.
Pumpkins prefer long hours of sunlight, so
select your garden site accordingly. Avoid shaded areas and select an
area with good surface and internal
drainage. 

Irrigation 

Pumpkins are shallow rooted, so water slowly with at least one inch of
water per week if rainfall is not
adequate. More water may be required during hot, windy summer days.
Water during morning or early
afternoon hours so foliage dries by evening. This helps prevent the
spread of leaf diseases. 

Trickle irrigation is best, but soaker hoses also work well. Overhead
sprinklers are effective; however, wet
foliage increases the chance of disease, especially mildew. 

Cultural 

If planting is done in a well-prepared bed, weeds will seldom be a
problem and can be controlled by
hand-weeding or hoeing. Continue to remove weeds until the vines cover
the ground. At this time, the dense
foliage will shade out most weeds. 

Plastic mulches are very effective for controlling weeds. Plastic
mulches also warm the soil, and can maintain
good soil moisture levels. The plastic can be installed when the soil is
in good planting condition, any time
from a few days to 2 to 3 weeks before planting. If you do not use
plastic, pumpkins will benefit from organic
mulches applied in the summer after the soil has warmed. 

When summer mulching materials are used, such as straw, additional
nitrogen is recommended. Mix one
tablespoon of ammonium sulfate, calcium nitrate, or nitrate of soda per
one bushel of mulch. Apply once or
twice during the early growing season. A complete fertilizer that is
high in nitrogen may be substituted for any
of the above. Apply the fertilizer when the mulch is moist. 

Herbicides are also available for weed control. However, only a trained
and licensed applicator should apply
these materials. 

Windbreaks 

Windbreaks are necessary to protect young plants that are not fully
rooted. Windbreaks should be
positioned on plants most susceptible to southwest winds until late June
when side-runners are 3 to 4 feet
long. The use of a snow fence and burlap can make an excellent
windbreak. Covering the vines at each
node with soil will help anchor vines down and promote secondary root
development. 

Insects and Diseases 

The planting site of your plants should be rotated each year to reduce
the incidence of insect and disease
pressure. Without a regular spray program for insects and diseases, your
success rate for producing a
giant pumpkin can be significantly reduced. An insect and disease
control program must be initiated at
transplanting. Insects are the primary vectors for transmitting viruses.
Once a viral infection has occurred,
there is no way to stop it. There are several pesticides recommended for
insect and disease control. Check
with your local Extension agent for current rates and compounds. You may
refer to Ohio Vegetable
Production Guide (Bulletin 672) for current pesticide recommendations.
The licensed pesticide applicator will
have more options regarding insecticides and fungicides available to
them. 

Pollination 

Although hand pollination is the preferred method to fruit setting,
natural pollination by bees will work well.
Hand pollination allows for a more controlled genetic cross. Do not
begin pollinating until the plant has
approximately 200 leaves. Initially it is recommended to allow only 4 to
6 pumpkins per plant. Once pumpkins
reach volleyball size, trim back to one pumpkin. The more you reduce the
competition for nutrients, the
greater your success rate will be for achieving a giant size pumpkin. 

Stem Stress 

Because of the size and fast growth of these pumpkins, training vines
and root pruning is important. This will
prevent stem breakage and splitting. While the pumpkin is basketball
size, curve the vine 80 to 90 degrees
away from the fruit. About 3 feet out from the fruit, curve the vine
back in the general direction it was headed.
Clip roots 3 feet out on the vine. This will allow the vine to easily
move upward as the pumpkin grows.
Pumpkins long in shape tend to push the vine forward, resulting in a
kink. If this happens, slide the pumpkin
back about 4 to 5 inches - this is usually necessary when the pumpkin is
about 300 pounds. Pumpkins
round in shape are difficult to rotate without damaging the stem. 

Shade 

To protect the pumpkin from direct sunlight, construct a shade out of
burlap or other lightweight material. This
will prevent premature hardening of the outer skin and will allow the
pumpkin to reach its full genetic potential
in terms of physical size. 

Cultivars 

Be sure to select plant varieties that have the genetics to attain large
size. Check seed catalogs and garden
centers for possible giant pumpkin seed cultivars. 

Harvest/Storing 

Pumpkins should be harvested when they have a deep, solid color and the
rind is hard. The vines are
usually dying back at this time. Cover during a light frost and avoid
leaving pumpkins out during a hard
freeze to prevent softening. 

Refer to the Extension FactSheet "Growing Squash and Pumpkins in the
Home Garden" (HYG-1620) for
more detailed information on storage. 


All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension
are available to clientele on a
nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion,
sexual orientation, national origin,
gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and
June 30, 1914, in cooperation with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State
University Extension.


10 Steps to a Giant Pumpkin - by Don Langevin

Intrigued by these car-size, half-ton gourds? Start now for next season.

For many of us, fall means a bounty of pumpkins for pies and
jack-o'-lanterns, along with a gathering in of the rest of the autumn
harvest.  But for thousands of backyard gardeners, fall is the time of
reckoning and - for a lucky few - glory.  These are the growers of the
heavyweights.  For them, pumpkin growing is a competitive sport.  As
recently as 16 years ago, the heaviest (official) pumpkin weighed a mere
403 pounds.  Since then the world record has been broken nine times. 
Other
than Howard Dill, who held the world record from 1979 to 1982, no one
has
ever won the world championship more than once.  And almost all the
world-record pumpkins since 1982 have been grown in small backyard
gardens.

Well, not too small.  To really appreciate the feat of growing these
800-,
900- or 1,000-pound behemoths, it's necessary to see one up close.
Consider the measurements of the second-largest pumpkin grown in the
world
in 1994.  Its girth was 176 inches (that's more than 14-1/2 feet
around!).
When carved, these beauties will hold a candle for light, as well as two
or
three members of the family.  Or you can bake some 900 pumpkin pies from
a
single fruit.  At the Topsfield Fair in Topsfield, Massachusetts, it
took
the strength of 12 adults to move a 914- pound pumpkin to the scale. I
can't pass a Honda Civic anymore with- out thinking that 10 or 12 men
could
probably roll it onto a tarpaulin and cart it away, too.

Now, with this year's competition just past and predictions that the
largest pumpkins are likely to surpass the benchmark half-ton next
season,
is a good time to review the latest techniques required to grow "the big
ones." Believe it or not, you'll probably need to start now, in the
fall,
preparing the soil.

The guru of monster pumpkin growing is Howard Dill. His behemoths have
won
more world records than any other grower's. His Atlantic Giant is the
variety of choice for anyone who wants to grow a big pumpkin.

How To Grow A Giant Pumpkin

If you ask 10 competitive pumpkin growers how to grow a giant pumpkin,
you're likely to get 10 different answers.  It seems everyone has his or
her own way of coaxing the most weight out of these giants.  But there
is a
thread of consistency that runs throughout all the instructions, and
adhering to three basic tenets will get you well on the way to a world
record.  Above all else, you need good seed, good soil and good luck.

Good seed.  If you want to grow a world-record pumpkin, you can forget
about every variety of pumpkin out there except Howard Dill's patented
Atlantic Giant.  Since 1979, no other pumpkin variety has been a world
champion.
Good soil Pumpkins are large consumers of all the major plant nutrients
(nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), as well as many minor nutrients
like
calcium and magnesium and other trace elements.  The key for big growth
is
soil well amended with organic matter.  In the fall or early spring, add
two to five yards per plant of compost and rotted manures.  Cow and
horse
manures are best.  Use chicken manure sparingly and only in the fall.
Cover crops of winter rye, plowed down in the spring, are fabulous.  The
soil pH should be between 6.5 and 6.8.

Good luck.  If you can grow a good vegetable garden, you have the skill
to
grow a world-record pumpkin.  I've seen newcomers grow 500-pound
pumpkins
their first year with good seed, some rudimentary help from an
experienced
grower and a lot of luck.  With the right preparation and strategy now
and
in the spring (see the text on page 40 for tips on planning your assault
on
the world record), next year you might just be a contender for the world
championship!

1. PREPARE THE SOIL.  Start with a pH test in fall and adjust your pH to
between 6.5 and 6.8 by adding sulfur to lower the pH or lime to raise
it.
Apply three to five yards of composted manure per 30-foot-diameter
circle
where you expect to plant next spring.  Plant a cover crop of winter rye
in
fall to be turned under in early spring, broadcasting one to two pounds
per
1,000-square-foot area.

2. SOW SEEDS.  Start seed indoors in six-inch peat pots about four weeks
before your last spring frost date.  Plant the seed with the pointed end
of
the seed facing down.  Keep the soil temperature at 85 to 90 degrees F.
Most seeds will emerge within five days.

3. TRANSPLANT SEEDLINGS.  Transplant seedlings into the garden once the
first true leaves appear or when roots begin to grow through the peat
pot
(usually seven to 10 days after germination).  Handle with care because
pumpkins are easily set back during transplanting.

4. PROTECT SEEDLINGS. Place a "mini-greenhouse" over the seedlings for
six
weeks to shield plants from wind and frost.  These mini-greenhouses can
be
as simple as two storm windows nailed together to form a teepee or as
elaborate as a four- by four-foot wooden structure made from 1x2 lumber
nailed together with 6-mil clear plastic stapled to cover the frame. 
Once
seedlings outgrow the mini-greenhouse, use a temporary fence to screen
wind.  I use "conservation" fence, which is bought with wood end stakes
attached and is commonly used at new construction sites.  A 100-foot
roll
cut into three pieces is enough for three 11-foot-diameter areas.

5. POLLINATE FLOWERS. Eight to 10 weeks after seed starting, the first
female flowers will appear.  They're easy to distinguish because they
have
a small pumpkin at their base.  If you want to get a jump on your rival,
you'll need to hand-pollinate the flowers.  In the early morning, locate
a
freshly opened male flower.  Pick it and remove the outer flower petals,
exposing the stamen and fresh pollen.  Locate a newly opened female
flower
and gently swab the stigma (internal parts) of the female flower with
the
pollen-laden stamen.

Getting a pumpkin set as early as possible, preferably before July 10,
is
key.  The earlier you set a pumpkin, the longer it has to grow until
harvest.  Since these monsters can gain 25 pounds a day, losing 10 days
in
the early part of the season could put you well down the list at your
local
pumpkin weigh-off.

6. REPOSITION SET PUMPKINS.  Once a pumpkin has set, its position on the
vine becomes extremely important.  Most often the stem grows at a very
acute angle to the vine. However, for optimal long-term growth, the best
position is to have the stem perpendicular to the vine.  If yours is not
at
right angles to the vine naturally, coax it gradually, over about a
week's
time, until it is in that position.  Be careful, because at this early
stage pumpkins may still abort or you may injure the fragile stem.

7. SELECT THE MOST PROMISING PUMPKIN.  If one plant has three strong
vines,
you could have as many as seven or eight pumpkins set and growing by
July
20.  Now you must choose the best pumpkin and remove most of the rest.
Measure each pumpkin's circumference at the widest point weekly or daily
with a cloth measuring tape.  Choose the one that's growing fastest. 
Also,
keep an eye out for the optimum shape.  Young pumpkins that are round
and
especially tall grow the largest.

8. PRUNE VINES.  Begin pruning vines early in the season to discourage
random growth and an out-of-control patch.  Prune each main vine when it
has reached 10 to 12 feet beyond a set fruit.  If you have a pumpkin on
a
vine that is 10 feet from the main root, cut the end of that vine once
it
is 20 to 24 feet long.  Let side shoots off the main vines get no longer
than eight feet before cutting off tips.  Train side shoots so they are
perpendicular to the main vine to accommodate access to the vines and
pumpkins.  Bury the ends of cut vines to reduce water loss.

9. FERTILIZE. During the growing season, most fertility needs of
pumpkins
can be met by applying water-soluble plant foods once or twice a week
over
the entire plant area.  Give seedlings a fertilizer that stresses
phosphorus, such as 15-30-15.  Shift to a more balanced formula, such as
20-20-20, once fruits are set.

By late July, use a formula that stresses potassium, such as 15-11-29. 
I
apply water-soluble fertilizer at the rate of one to two pounds per week
per plant from fruit set until the end of the growing season.  Some
competitive growers will err on the side of overfertilization.  But too
much fertilizer can hurt more than help.  If the pumpkins start growing
too
fast, they will literally tear themselves from the vine and explode.  A
very fine grower in New England told me, "Slow and easy wins the race."
Remember this whenever you feel the urge to overfertilize.

10. KEEP TRACK. Measure your pumpkins at least weekly.  Gains in
circumference can average four to six inches in a 24 hour period. 
Measure
the circumference of your pumpkins first parallel to the ground around
the
entire pumpkin, from blossom end to stem.  Next, measure over the top in
both directions: from ground to ground along the axis from stem to
blossom
end, then perpendicular to the stem-blossom-end axis.  Add these three
measurements together, then multiply by 1.9 to give an estimate of the
pumpkin's weight.

Don Langevin is author of the book How-to-Grow World Class Giant
Pumpkins
(Annedawn Publishing, Box 247, Norton, MA 02766; 1993.  $17.95).

-- 
Duncan McAlpine, Federal Way, WA   m*@eskimo.com
Why buy plants when you can grow them yourself.....?
http://www.eskimo.com/~mcalpin/
http://www.eskimo.com/~mcalpin/pumkin.html
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