RE: beginning stage
At 03:44 PM 5/19/00 -0700, you wrote:
>Thanks Jon........
>
>I know day time temps during pollination will be luck of the draw. However,
>if it is really hot, how long before the female flower opens and how long
>after pollination do you recommend cooling the new fruit with the ice
>bottles? Then, since I did start early, I could by your reckoning have
>mature fruit by mid to late August. If that turns out to be the case, how
>long can I leave a mature AG on the vine? Or should I remove it promptly?
>(I'm assuming maturity is defined a near complete cessation of further
>growth) Does leaving a mature pumpkin on the vine adverse the remaining
>growth of those still maturing (assuming I've left more than one fruit on
>the vine [not recommend I know])? I've left Big Macs on the vine over six
>weeks past maturity with no adverse effects and, once picked, have had some
>last through Christmas. Do AGs have a similar "shelf life" once picked, or
>are they prone to early disintegration?
>Doug Parker
>Sierra Madre, CA
================================
Doug,
It does look like your pumpkins will be done growing at the end of August.
Sometimes they will stay on the vine just fine. If you have problems with
splits or bugs the time you have will be much shorter. It has been my
experience that the AG's don't store as well as the field variety pumpkins.
Some growers think once the pumpkin is done the plant starts to take away
from the pumpkin. I myself don't know this for fact just theory.
If you pick the fruit it will start to lose weight every day. So try to
leave it on the vine as long as you can.
Ice blocks should be used on the day the blossom opens and possibly the day
after pollination. I have never done this but will try it this year. It
seems we are in for a hot summer with temps already into the 100's.
Good Luck,
Jon
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