Re: pumpkin problem
In a message dated 25/07/2006 15:23:39 GMT Daylight Time, twigard@telus.net
writes:
Hello. Im a new pumpkin grower, and may be killing them with kindness. My
plant is very healthy...large leaves and tonnes of blooming males. My
problem
is the females (as usual!) The female flowers do not bloom, and the fruit
dies before I have a chance to pollentate them. I fertalize every 7-10 days
with miracle grow (18-18-21). I live on the west coast of Canada, which has
had very nice, very warm weather for the last month or so. The soil seems
to
dry very quickly, so I am watering everyday, or sometimes every other day,
and
use a 2-7-7 fertilizer then. Too much? Any help would be greatly
appreciated. I've promised my kids pumpkins for halloween!!
Dave
Hi Dave and welcome to the insanity that is 'Giant Pumpkins'. It looks as
though you are being over kind with the fertiliser, both in regularity of
feeding and the N.P.K ratios. Also, i hear that you folks in Western Canada are
having some real hot weather right now and if you are experiencing extreme heat
then your Females are suffering from heat aborts and need to be cooled a day
prior to opening and for about 24 hours after pollination. Are you having 85
to 90 degree days ? How many plants do you have the aborting problem with ?
What size of total leaf canopy area are your plants covering ?
Regards
Mike
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