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Long Island

Just recently my conn. field pumpkin leaves have been turning yellow and all the females have been shriviling up before they even open. I have 3 set. The biggest one is a little bigger then a grapefruit. I wanted at least 5 by october. Whats going on? By the way..temps here in New York have been EXTREAMLY high (95-100+). Help!

8/9/2001 5:12:09 PM

South Hill, Virginia

in extreme heat my plant had the same problem (along with several aborts). when i started misting i didnt get the dying females but it hasnt solved the problem with all the aborts. of course misting makes it hard to keep any kind of insecticide on the plant so the squash bugs are holding their family reunion there.

8/9/2001 5:20:46 PM

Greencastle, PA

I spoted soe squash bugs today, as soon as the temps go down I'll spray some sevin on the leaves, just to hot right now. the temps have been 95-100 and the heat index 105-115, 2 days ago it was 96 degrees with a heat index of 113, really humid. I can't wait for the cold front, it took temps from the mid 90's to the high 70's up in minn. Hopefully this is the last day of this heat. good luck,
Tom

8/10/2001 8:32:34 AM

Greencastle, PA

about a week ago the heat index in minn. was 130-145, yesterday it was 78! the cool air should be here soon, keep your fingers crossed

8/10/2001 8:34:08 AM

Charlotte, North Carolina

Im still waiting for that big cold front+storm that the weather people said is supposed to hit the east coast, everyone really needs it!!!!!

8/10/2001 3:53:12 PM

Omaha, NE

Plumppumpkin, I have Conn. Fields too, and mine are not fairing to well in the heat, the one I pollinated on 8/6 aborted a few days later and the two that have been set for a while now one has stopped growing and the other has slowed considerable.

The cool front hit us yesterday so hopefully that will help my Big Max pumpkins and the new females on the conn field plants....Karen

8/11/2001 11:28:36 AM

Ga.

Lucky ya'll,,,only 70's we see thru October will be mid 70's at night,,,no cool snap here,,,hot/humid thru November,,,,from the reading I have been doing in here,,looks like hot,muggy weather really kills my chances of a large pumpkin,, :( ,,Guess I better start in the spring next year,,,really want a good size for the kids this year,,,all you pumpkin gods,and goddess out there watch out for me and ripper roo,,hehe,,I didn't name,,my sons idea,,lol...

8/11/2001 12:11:49 PM

Omaha, NE

Jeff, We just moved to NE last year from FL, so I know what you mean about the hot & humid to November. I am blown away but loving it when we get the cold fronts in the summer that give decent temps. Just keep us in mind when you low in the winter is 40 or 50 and we are at 30 below or lower. Also you will be able to get your plants in the ground sooner than those of us up north waiting for the ground to thaw...Karen

8/11/2001 2:33:59 PM

Ga.

true Karen,,,but it sure seems like you have more favorable growing conditions when they need to be good,,,I know of the cold in NE,,hunted there in the 90's,,,grrrrrrrrrrr

8/11/2001 2:44:20 PM

Omaha, NE

I couldn't anything more than citrus trees, flowers and roses in FL. Seems like everything will grow up here. Karen

8/11/2001 3:48:56 PM

Charlotte, North Carolina

The great plains has some of the best soil in the continent from what I hear.

-P.

8/11/2001 4:26:30 PM

Omaha, Nebraska

I am growing "Shannon" on Loess Hills Soil... I think Loess Soil is fertile but it seems awfully clay like to me. Loess soil is only found in 2 places in the world: In China and where I am at.

8/11/2001 4:30:58 PM

Ga.

Cool Karen,,,send me a load of it...hehe
^_^

8/11/2001 7:04:53 PM

Omaha, NE

You would have to get from C.C. No wonder why Shannon is absolutely taking off, and C.C. doesn't seem to have the same problems I have been having.

C.C. and I are on opposite sides of the Missouri river, I had forgotten about the Loess Hills soil over there. I think I will be trying to get some when preparing my bed for next year. I am planting in just plain dirt, with nothing added. Which is definately better the sand dirt in FL, and possibly the clay of GA, Jeff?

Karen

8/11/2001 11:50:00 PM

Ga.

clay it is hun,,,I think I'm in trouble,,,the white flies finally found my pumpkin,,I know how thick they get on squash here this time of year,,,they eat away and make the plants produce white crooknecks,,,I'm not joking either,,they wont even buy the squash at farmers market,,SO SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!!I need to know what kind of insectaside to buy this morning to spray...Please help,,

8/12/2001 7:36:07 AM

Omaha, Nebraska

Well thats why they call it Council Bluffs...im in the Loess Bluffs :)

8/13/2001 12:28:20 AM

Chester Co., PA

Jeff, I read your plea for help with white flies in the Pests,Diseases & Other Problems section. Guess you didn't see it. I'll reprint it here.

We had a terrible white fly infestation in S. Calif. about 15 years ago. They are hard to kill because they are on the underside of the leaf, SUCKING THE LIFE out of it. Place yellow cardboard or plastic sheets (10"X10")at about 3 feet off the ground near the plant. Coat the yellow with a sticky substance, like 'Tanglefoot'. The white flies are attacted to it and get caught. As usual, this works best BEFORE things get completely out-of-control.

8/13/2001 11:50:21 AM

Ga.

thanks Wes....

8/13/2001 12:32:30 PM