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Enumclaw WA

This is the first 80 degress after months of rain. My pumpkin looked wilted this morning so I watered it. IT perked up 1 hour later, and then it looked wilted again an hour after that. I have been very conservative with fertilizer and the plant seems bug and disease free. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Too much? or too little water. Thanks in advance. Munchkin Pumpkin, Enumclaw, WA

6/17/2000 5:12:29 PM

Connecticut, USA

Check out the photo in the photo gallery.

6/17/2000 5:35:21 PM

Rhode Island, USA

Looks to me like your plant is wilting due to the hto weather--something you can remedy by shading or misting the plant regularly during the day. A fine mist from a regular hose spray nozel a few times a day will really help. Mist the air, not the plant; the point is to cool off the air near the plant. The plant will get wet, and the evaporative cooling will help, too.

Misting every few hours is a challenge for growers who have to work all day away from the patch, but there are commercial systems available. I'm about to put in one of these systems, complete with a timer to turn it on for a couple minutes every hour. I'll be traveling on business a lot in the next few weeks, so I'll need this in place soon to cope with Philadelphia's summer heat.

When I have selected a system, I'll post again to let people know the costs and technical difficulties involved.

6/18/2000 9:23:45 AM

Connecticut, USA

You may also want to remove the plastic mulch. It may be keeping your roots too warm. I know on days where it is 80 degrees out, the thermometer on the ground is reading 100. And that is without any black plastic on the soil.

6/18/2000 12:12:40 PM

Enumclaw WA

Thank you all for the suggestions. My plant has since perked up. I increased the air circulation by opening up the bottom of the reemay "tent" and pulled back the plastic mulch a bit. Looks like it was just too hot after all that cold damp weather.

6/21/2000 12:52:08 AM