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Puyallup, WA

Upon inspecting my patch yesterday morning, I discovered that two of my 'grapefruit sized'pumpkins had split. One length wise, the other around the circumference....360°!!! They were on two different plants. What have I done to warrant this unmerited disaster! Last year, I didn't have one split.

7/10/2000 12:43:13 PM

Commack, NY

this is always an unpleasant subject. its hard to say for certain what caused two different pumpkins on two different plants to split. there are a whole bunch of factors that can cause a split. was the ground pretty dry and then you watered heavy? did it rain alot after not watering all that heavy? are you fertilizing heavy? how rich is your soil? what kind of fertilizer are you using? that sort of thing. hopefully it won't continue to happen. i woudl pollinate as many pumpkins as i could, and try to keep all growing conditions constant, and fertilize and water on a consistant basis.
scott

7/10/2000 12:58:45 PM

Puyallup, WA

Farmer Scott.....it had been only two days since I last watered. The ground was not very dry. We have had cool weather...77° max. I had fertilized alot in the previous week with liquid 20-20-20. Would alot of overhead watering
do that? Thank you for your timely help.

7/10/2000 2:48:53 PM

Commack, NY

if you fertilized alot, and you didn't water alot, the fertilizer will not tend to leach out of the soil. then, if you hit it hard with the water, all that fertilizer will get taken up by the plant at once, and cause a rapid growth, in fruit, and probably vine. this may be the cause. i know alot of people, myself included, that dont' fertilze within a month time frame. (two weeks before pollination, and two weeks after) this method is supposed to curtail any aborts, and such. i woudl just keep pollinating, and not over do it on the fert, till you have a good one on the hook. be careful, and have fun!
scott

7/10/2000 3:10:23 PM