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Phoenix, AZ

Its finally reached typical spring days here: 80F and nothing but sunlight and humidity below 10%. Problem is my plant wants to already give into the heat. These are the first days of heat and sun for Phoenix however. Maybe these plants need acclimation?

For a little background, this is my 369 Houser which is a 991 Hunt selfed and understood it to be a heat tolerant seed. I moved it from a 5 gallon pot where it was for 50 days to the patch 2 weeks ago. Much damage was done to the root system upon transplant but the plant itself still is growing very well at 2+ inches a day on the main. The main is about 3 ft now. I even have secondaries starting to form. Maybe the root system needs time to develop?

This was first noticed yesterday and had not watered for 48 hrs. I saw the flagging and proceeded to water and mist the plant. It recovered at this point. Unfortunately today it is flagging again but not as bad as yesterday. My EC was just tested and I am for sure under 2.0 with all the watering I do.

Any opinions, I am all ears/eyes.

Ben

4/3/2005 2:49:53 PM

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Plant a 600.5 Gregory.

4/3/2005 3:00:32 PM

Phoenix, AZ

Beet, I am interested, but what do you like about it?

BTW, I have noticed that not all the leaves flag. Just the older leaves. Interesting. I will have pics up in my diary quickly.

4/3/2005 3:21:18 PM

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Carlos from Spain grew the 600.5 Gregory to over 1,000 lbs. Average highs were 95 to 100 degrees.

I grew one last year. No problem at all with wilt or burn.

The only problem with the 600.5 Gregory, is it usually goes 5% to 7% light.

Beet

4/3/2005 3:51:55 PM

San Diego

a couple problems, ben doesn't have the 600.5 heheheh and second, Carlos in spain had a sprinkler to cool his plants. Ben, I saw your pic's, the flagging isn't very bad right now. The plant will adjust a little too. You should either have a shade cloth over the plant or some kind of misting system for when it starts to get smoking hot. This will take care of the problem. My mister comes on at 10:30 and runs till 4, going on and off with a timer. My 950 boyton got leaf burn at 88 degrees with no shade cloth or misting in my backyard patch, so go figure:) Your plant looks good! Jimmy

4/3/2005 4:47:57 PM

Joliet, IL

i have a shadecloth set up picture in my 2004 diary
using steel wire cable, 4" x 4" posts, the shadecloth,
and heavy duty zip ties. last year we had only a few hot
days over 90, so my misting set up is all i needed
run at intervals like jimmy said. but we normally get
some days over 100 and i have it set up in place to be
spread over the entire patch when needed. it doubles as
my hail protection system too and i spread it over the
patch and secure it in 15 minutes when needed and remove it
when severe weather has passed. i would think you need
a combination of both timed misting and a shade cloth
for your extreme heat.
shazzy

4/3/2005 5:13:13 PM

Northeast

I would quickly set up a mister system with a timer to go off, you can get cheap 6 cycle melnor timers at home depot. If you just dont have time a sprinkler hooked up to a timer will work but youre soil will be moist.If you have time toro puts out low emmiter misting heads that work great and hardly even moisten the soil. We mointed these on top of cheap electric conduit piping that was cut to about 5 ft and sunk 1 ft into the ground. Twist ties, or better sinch ties, will hold the 1/2 inch diameter plastic tubing snuggly to the conduit.Should take half a day to set up once the materails are gathered. Dave

4/3/2005 5:51:06 PM

Phoenix, AZ

Thanks guys. I have a misting system avaiable on a timer so that part is good to go. Last year I had a 353 Boyton growing and from day 1 in 100+ F heat it never wilted. It was however born in the heat not like this plant which has seen only highs of low 70's for 2 months.

Misting would solve this problem but I don't feel that is the direction I am trying for. Was just thinking that for sure it could be a limited rooting system, or not acclimated yet.

I also have shade cloth and lots of it but I have decided that I will not limit the sun on my plant this year. Only misting when things get over 90 F. I could very well burn my main off with this strategy but then this could also not be the seed for my godforsaken part of the world.

No matter the outcome, in July I will be replanting again for a fall harvest. In the meantime, I am having fun!

Ben

4/3/2005 5:58:44 PM

Joliet, IL

if i remember correctly, i think boily or carlos would
put a mini shade cloth over the main tip and adjust it
daily to avoid burning it off. maybe 2 years ago diaries,
i am not sure, but i have seen it somewhere in the diaries.
it might help on those blistering days.

4/3/2005 9:55:45 PM

Ontario

50 days in a 5 gallon pot and extensive root damage. Sounds like thats your problem right there. Seedling should only be in a pot maximum 20 days.

drew

4/3/2005 10:06:28 PM

Montoursville, PA

There is in my area a tomatoe grown open polinated by the Dutch. It is an easy grow and thought to be one of the best herritage tomatoes. It has been grown open polination in this area for more than a hundred years. It has evolved, in the hands of, and by the actions, of climate, elements, of the soil and a specific group, of area growers over a long period of time.

It would be indeed rare to have a one or two genetic cross that greatly alters the nature of any given seed. Simply growing them in a given area has enabled some plants to be more or less better off in different conditions.

Working the other direction towards cold tolerance hundreds of years have not enabeled many plants,to adjust or develop much change.

If enough dollars were present maybe...just maybe this could be done in a genetic lab. Unfortunately the labs are funded to do things like make or find specific plants resistant to Roundup.

4/3/2005 10:14:31 PM

Phoenix, AZ

Drew,

What affect do you think this long period will have on my plant?

4/4/2005 1:50:54 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Pumpkins can't be kept in a pot for so long. They quickly
become root bound in such conditions. Just after the seedling
stage, pumpkins begin working on their root system. During
this time, the foliage doesn't appear to be progressing very
quickly, but the plant is developing below the soil. Even in
a five gallon pot, a pumpkin would be cramped. This, combined
with your temperature is probably leading to the problem.

Remember that many of us see wilting at lower temperatures.
To some degree, this is normal....

I'm reminded of Joel Holland doing some digging on one of
his videos. He found roots seven feet out from the leaf
canopy.

4/4/2005 11:50:34 AM

[email protected]

Pot bound plants of all types are slowed as they try to acclimate.

Hey Ben,

Why would misting be a problem? I see no other way to avoid it in yout heat. Fungicides are mandatory regardless.

4/4/2005 11:30:36 PM

Riverton, WY

Ben, I've had good luck with screens elevated over the growing tips to give them a little releif from the sun during the hottest part of the day. There's a pic in my 04 diary.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=23285

4/5/2005 1:02:43 AM

Phoenix, AZ

Tremor, I will be misting later but I just did not want to mist during these easier spring days because it makes no sense the plant can't take it. If it still flags after a few weeks, I will start misting.

Ron, Hey thanks for that pic. I like you are just protecting from the intense midday sun only. Wow, those are good looking plants!

4/5/2005 12:14:52 PM