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Denver, CO

I am wondering if I can use misters to cool the air around a newly pollinated pumpkin to cool the air temp down to 85 or so. I would keep a bag over the pumpkin and blossom to keep out the actual water. Maybe use a small fan for maximum evaporative cooling effect.

I am in Denver Colorado area, we are experincing 95 to 100 degree temps and will be for at least 10 more days. A record heat spell totally unfamillar to us Coloradans. I have to work during the day and the ice chest methods dont seem possible at this time.

Anybody try the above, any input or help is great. I am reading all the articles on setting pumpkins in high heat, trying to close the learning curve and get some pumpkins set.

Thanks for all the help.

7/18/2005 9:09:30 PM

Joliet, IL

i have read about people continuely running water from a 1/4" spaghetti tubing on the round pumpkin part of a newly pollinated pumpkins to keep the heat down. i would stay away from anything that keeps the blossum wet or damp because this also can cause abort problems. maybe put a solid white outdoor plastic chair over the pumpkin for shading, and place your misters above the chair somewhat, and then you will be cooling the surrounding air without actually getting the flower petals and the blossum damp, and the white chair will reflect light and heat away from the area. i use the styrofome ice chest over the blossum with a laundry detergent ice bottle next to but not touching the blossum for the first 2 days after pollination. then i put a fan on my small ones and shade tarps over them immediately. i then fill the largest laundry detergent bottles they make full of 2/3s full of water and freeze them and then place them between the pumpkin and the fan to let the cool air blow across the kin. the fan really keeps the temps down around the pumpkin under the tarp nicely. the jugs go out at 630 am when i leave for work and i then replace another ice jug when i get home from work about 330pm and continue the process until the heat gets back under the 90s. this process is done until either the small pumpkin aborts or gets about 7 or 8 days old and looks to be on its way. but i still leave the fans on every day over 90 (that doesn't call for rain while i am at work) on all my sole keepers on the main. i like the way it keeps the temps down under the tarps on windless days.

7/18/2005 10:50:59 PM

Joliet, IL

just to clarify the last post, the laundry detergent bottles are filled with frozen water only. it sort of reads that i use a frozen bottle of laundry detergent at the first mention, and i wanted to clear it up.

7/18/2005 10:58:20 PM

San Diego

if gone during the day, shade the pumpkin, put on misters all day on and off, and get a cheap styrofaom cooler big enough to fit 2 frozen gallon jugs of water in it with the pumpkin under it also and go to work. I would think it would stay cool inside all day. and put a white trash bag under the pumpkin and cooler, it helps conserve the ice and cool air. Jimmy

7/18/2005 11:44:47 PM

Denver, CO

Thanks guys, I will give the ideas a try and let you know how it comes out. I have been shading the pumpkins using a plastic chair from the time I first see them, but I am running out of chairs! Anyhow, I will mist away and use ice and coolers and see what happens.

Thanks

7/19/2005 7:11:29 PM

Montoursville, PA

Misting from a well designed system can and will reduce the temperature at ground level by fifteen or more degrees.

7/21/2005 6:59:47 PM