Re: LOOKING FOR ANSWERS & SHADE

Greg- 

Generally once a pumpkin is about the size of a beach ball it is past
the danger from heat. 
I would start shading as soon as you can.  especially if it is hot.  the
shade can lower the heat.  you can also try to lower the temp of you
pumpkins by building a little enclosure like a teepee around your
pumpkins and putting in gallon milk bottle with frozen water.  Zoo
explained how he did this in a posting in June sometime.  you can look
in the archives at:http://www.mallorn.com/lists/pumpkins/
To answer your question the shade doesn't have to be really big- just
cover your pumpkin. (hopefully it will have to be big later)  even if it
covers 1-2 or even 3-4 leaves that is OK-  you should have plenty of
others leaves to do all the photosynthesis that your pumpkin will need.


here is how I would build a shade.
I would buy a small tarp -  4'x 6', fold it in half so it is now 3' x 4'
-  get some poles for each corner- only about 3 or 4 ft tall - you could
use tent poles, wood (1x2, 2x4, dowels, whatever), other metal poles,
etc.  get 4 stakes, tent stake are great. If your tarp has the metal
holes in the corners and your poles fit in the holes then great.  set it
up over your pumpkin.  Tie a rope from each corner out to a stake.   If
there are no hole or the poles don't go in them- then here is the trick.
get 4 golf balls or objects about that size ( rocks, small pine cones
work fine)  place one just inside each corner - wrap the tarp around the
object the so it goes all the way around it on all sides.  with your
rope make one or  tight loops around the base of the object and then put
the top of the pole next to the object and make a couple of loops around
it and the objects.  tie it tight then run the rope out to the stakes.
if you are really worried about wind blowing the whole thing over then
use 2 stakes at each corner. ( line up with the two ropes/stakes with
the tarp edges)  If your pumpkin out grows the shade then you take it
down unfold it to 4'x 6' and set it back up at that size. 

My biggest pumpkin is the size of a large pea ( or pee if you don't know
how to spell like me) but I have 7 of those little females in waiting.
they all showed up at once.  This is my first year growing in WA - I
(we) am still waiting for summer to arrive.  So far I have not had to
worry about the heat here in the Seattle area.  in fact the opposite it
true.  it hasn't warmed up here like we pumpkin growers would like.  I
think that we have only had around 6-7 days that we reached 80 degrees
(F) this year !  today will be another. 

later-
Gordon Tanner
Maple Valley WA


>        Thanks for the info. Is there a size that pumpkins become less
>succeptible to dropping from heat? It seems as though all of mine were
>between softball and volleyball size. The growth chart helps a lot. I
>have a 7 day pumpkin that measures 14.25". Not exactly a record
breaker,
>but at least it's growing. Hope your getting good growing weather in
>Washington!
>
>Greg
>
>When should one start to protect a pumpkin from the sun? If you are
>also shading a good portion of the vine, will this affect the final
size
>of the pumpkin by reducing the level of photosynthesis?
>
>Greg

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