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Nj

Why is it when I see the grower diaries, they have the stems covered up, yet, the stumps are not? Shouldn't you cover up the stumps? Wouldn't that discourage vine borers from laying eggs?

Thanks!
John

2/29/2004 9:13:25 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

If you cover the stump. You will not be able to see when it starts having problems. Many a good seasons have been ruined due to the stump rotting. Use Sevin or some systemic for the vine bores. I have learned prevention is the main thing of this game. Keep an eye on the other growers diaries in your area. Or find a mentor to give you heads up. They will spot the problems, or tell you to do this or that ahead of the game. They may also, play an occasional practical Joke and involve elderly but witty grandmas...I guess thats the price you have to pay..lol

2/29/2004 11:20:39 AM

Nj

:~) Shannon, I see you posted on the thread a little big ago on garden web, can you get anybody else to sign on that thread, we really need votes :~)

I was told to use sevin, but the amount I would need would brake the bank. I don't think we have that much problems with vine borers, but I don't want to take the chance. We do have Japanese beetles around so I will also need to take care of them :~)
John

2/29/2004 12:42:46 PM

YEAH shannon, and squash vine borers made out of cardboard flying around the pumpkin patch.

I've heard that Sevin won't kill squash vine borers.

3/1/2004 11:23:47 AM

YEAH shannon, and squash vine borers made out of cardboard flying around the pumpkin patch.

I've heard that Sevin won't kill squash vine borers.

3/1/2004 11:23:47 AM

oops...double post LOL....

John...have your mentor teach you really well, so you almost beat them like I almost beat Shannon last year...ha ha.

3/1/2004 11:26:35 AM

Nj

Brigitte, My mentor is someone that has growing 1 or 2 1,000 pounders each year for the last few years, her name is Jill, She grows out 12 plants each year, and has given me so much information about everything, except her special fertilizer, made from seaweed, and something else??? She told me she will not give up that information, and that I was the first person that got her secrets from her, and boy dose she have some good ones too, and I would have never guessed, or even herd of here, or any other pumpkin site. :~) I think it was because I am a young grower, trying to turn the giant pumpkin world upside down... ;~) And I think I might just do it...

3/1/2004 11:48:34 AM

[email protected]

Milk. Seaweed & Milk. But we can't talk about that.

3/1/2004 1:20:25 PM

Long Island,New York

1-2 thousand pounders each year for the last few years huh.....hmmmm.........Jill who?

3/1/2004 2:46:38 PM

hmm if you follow my track record, jill (whoever jill is?!?!) will grow 1000 and you will grow 985 ha ha!

got milk? moo... he he

3/1/2004 4:15:50 PM

Nj

Jill lives in NY and before she "retired" she got her 1,036 lb pumpkin, at state level she told me then she stopped competing, she is thinking of returning again this year.

If I get a 985, then... I would have broken the state record! My goal is set at 600 pounds :~) though if I did get a 900 pounder my first year... well, I think I may be the first one to get a pumpkin that big my first year, No?

3/1/2004 5:26:18 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

nope

3/1/2004 6:18:07 PM

Nj

Who got a 900 pounder there first year?

3/1/2004 6:24:31 PM

Leicester, NY

John, I cover my stumps and vines early on, but after a while, they become exposed again. I think it might help keep the borers out..I’ve not had borer problems since I started doing this, but a little Scimitar might be helping with that too.

Keep working on Jill and see if she’ll share that secret fertilizer recipe with you and all of us:-) Joe P.

3/1/2004 6:25:15 PM

[email protected]

Didn't Chris Andersen pop a 977 his first year out?

3/1/2004 8:33:04 PM

[email protected]

John, What year was Jill's 1036? Can you share her last name? I can't find it in the AGGC.

3/1/2004 8:35:38 PM

Commack, NY

If Jill did indeed grow a 1036 pounder in NY she would be in the top 10 for the state. Perhaps some info is missing that you perhaps could share with us. If she did it, she deserves recognition for it.

3/1/2004 9:39:54 PM

Nj

"I generally ended up with 7-800 pounders. Lovely things. My prize winning year at state level was a whopping 1,036 lb. pumpkin. I also used fishy stuff, but I just got the wash up from the lake by me and let it get rained in. Worked great!! Or you can blenderize it to make a drink (for pumpkins, not me. lol).
I remember wining and be asked, "how'd you do it?". I never told. hehe =)" Was something she wrote on another site, I wil ask her more about her 1036 :~)

John

3/1/2004 9:52:17 PM

Newmarket, NH USA

I like to leave the stump and main vine exposed all season so I can watch it every single day and I spray 2 times as often as recommended. Lets face it you lose the main or the stump and all that work is gone and you are done. I lost an 801.5 Stelts in 2000 and had 2 nice ones going and they only went 421 and 396 because I lost the main and back vines to borers and never knew it until it was to late.

3/7/2004 11:17:17 AM

Newmarket, NH USA

Also in 2000 I used about a ton of sevin and the borers I think enjoyed it. LOL

3/7/2004 11:19:03 AM