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Choctaw, OK

Hi guys.... I have a stem split on my 876.5 pumpkin (no Name) and It is about 3 inches long and around a 1/4 inch deep. The split did not reach where stem meets the pumpkin, although it is reallly close, maybe a 1/2 in away at the most, probably closer. I made a paste of fungicide, dirt and water and pasted it on there hoping for the best. Is there anything else i can do?

Also wondering if you guys think it can last through the whole season? Has anyone had a stem split on the stem when the pumpkin was still young (around 14 days old) and it survived the whole season? I am afraid when the pumpkin gets bigger that the split will end up reaching the cavity if it gets bigger. Maybe it will heal over and be just fine....never know.

The pumpkin is 14 days old with a 43.5" circ. and a OTT of 108". it has grown 5.5" and 4.5" in circumfrence the last two days. The split looks like it was there for a couple days atleast, because the goo around it was dry...i didn't see it untill today.


any suggestions or comments??? I was told not to put dirt in with my paste....it drys up fairly fast in my opinion....

Case

7/16/2001 5:46:00 PM

Liverpool , England

Yo Casey,
I put a reply on the mallorn list...and don't put dirt in with any fungicide...just the powder or paste itself.

Alun

7/16/2001 8:43:12 PM

Deer Park WA

Case, Bummer Partner, how long is the stem, and at what angle is to the vine? I rode one of Sherry LaRue's 1016 LB pumpkins out last year. It had a really, really short thick stem that developed stem splits early on and by Sept 1, it had torn into the seed cavity of the biggest pumpkin in my patch. I wish I had pruned it in favor of a better choice early in the season. Best of luck.
P.S I only used a slurry of Captian fungicide for the cracks and splits NO DIRT.....

7/17/2001 12:54:49 AM

Choctaw, OK

Well, the fungicide and dirt is dry...it is really hard. I plan to scrape it off tomorrow and see what the damage looks like. The stem is not the longest of stems....but maybe 4 inches, that is stretching it a little. The pumpkin is almost at 90 degrees now...one more shove tomorrow and it will be set to rest and grow. It is my best growing pumpkin, and I really do not have a good back up to it on the plant,. there is one, but it is not growing as near as well and was pollinated earlier. The pumpkin (no name) seems fine for now....i hope it can ride it out through the season.....you guys want to tally up the votes to see who thinks he will make it and who won't think he'll make it??? It would be interesting to see how many think he will.....

I will try and get a pic of the split if i can...it will be hard, but i will try. the frigg'n skeeters are horrible in the patch...they are not anywhere else, they know i go in there about 10 times a day and feast upon my blood....i hate it, but there is stuff i have to do....

Case

ps. the vine is really loose, is not much stress on the stem..the vine is v-shaped where the pumpkin is....the vine actually did that itself sort of, i had no intention in v-shaping it like that....

7/17/2001 1:28:25 AM

derry n.h u.s.a.

HI Case:
I also have a beauty of a pumpkin,But it has three stem splits the worst on the bottom of the stem,They seem to be equaily distributed around the stem they run the long way and the bottom one is the worst coming close to the pumpkin.I'm just dusting with Captions dust.As the stem and pumpkin get larger they should heal.I'm takeing it slow and easy no sudden deadheading or over watering,i'm still adjusting the pumpkin.It has to be moved another 3 inchs or so.Hope this helped. Best of luck John G...

7/17/2001 10:40:52 AM

Western Pa.

Hi Case!

Just out of curiousity, how often and with what, are you fertilizing? Captan and others will "shrink" when they harden and need to be re-applied. I've also had success with sulfur powder.From your photo, it looks as though your split is on the underside, if so, it will be tough to manage and keep after. Think I remember some growers actually making a "splint" with popsicle sticks and twine to keep the split from opening up more.

Good luck,

kilr

7/17/2001 8:27:18 PM

Choctaw, OK

I really did not fertilize that much lately. I did not fert. when i was pollinating my pumpkins, that was about june 26th trough july 9th or so....then i used some 20-30-20 and then this last weekend i put a very light application of 0-0-60 dry fert, sprinkled under the leaves adn then watered throughly, i didn't hit everywhere on under the whole plant, that would take a long time!. ANd i have done any since...

I have seem some ideas thrown out there for some sort of construction of splint like contraptions to help keep the split from opening any bigger. I would not know how to construct one, someone would have to help me and give me an idea!

Hey John....I hope your's pulls through too. I think with the proper care and some luck that our pumpkins can make it....and we know that they will probably be our best ones so we have to do what we can to keep them going.

Case

7/18/2001 1:08:08 AM