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C N Y

yo, y'all!
since i had a huge problem with fruit rotting
inexplicably right on the vines last year, and was told that i need a barrier of some sort between the soil and fruit itself, i was wondering what you all might be using,
if anything, such as a piece of plastic, sand and plastic,
or any other items of interest that would accomplish
this task. at the moment i am considering putting-down a
3' by 3' or 4' by 4' piece of plywood with a heavy-duty trash bag wrapped around it and stapled to it, as well as
a 50-pound bag of white play sand on top of that, then the pumpkin......i was also thinking of using the house-wrapping material known as Tyvek, like FedEx envelope material.....there can be NO contact with the soil, and NO
permeation between the two.
i know the pulp mill fabric is an option, but too pricey for me right now, and if you know what makes it so desirable, maybe you could tell me----
any input appreciated! eric/'pal2

7/20/2004 6:38:04 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

I see alot of people using sand, it keeps the slugs away, you can slide yer pumpkin about and it prevents rot, from what I hear, but I'm just a rookie so I could be wrong.

7/20/2004 6:40:45 PM

there was just a post about this a few days ago, posted by rootbeermaker on the 18th, titles "What do you use?"

7/20/2004 7:51:34 PM

Western Pa.

A huge amount of newbies I have talked to ask, "How do you keep the pumpkin from rotting?" Many I think, believe that it rots just from stting on the ground.(True, it should not be sitting in water.) I'm more inclined to believe that rot comes from pythium, fusaria, phytopthera, and the likes, NOT from the fact that the pumpkin is in contact with the ground. I have always used sand with good results.

7/20/2004 8:09:24 PM

Ri

i have for a number of years been placing styrofoam under the gals. saturday went to the lumber yard and asked for an 8' by 4' sheet that might be damaged. the contractors do not want broken sheets and i scored a couple of sheets for 4 bucks less. try to get the 1" variety 2" is kinda tall. if all you can get is the 2 inch be sure to check the tap roots at the leave nodes. peter

7/20/2004 8:43:20 PM

[email protected]

For years we had trouble here on our Prizewinners & Big Max with both Alternaria & Fusarium fruit rots. These are most often caused when splashing water moves the causal pathogens onto the fruit from the soil.

Last year we decided to try Pulp Mill Fabric since our Atlantic Giants were just as prone to fruit rots but worth a lot more per fruit per dollar invested.

We tried the fabric on three out of 12 fruit set. The other 9 were either placed on sand alone (3) or left on the soil (6). Of the three on Pulp Mill Fabric, I blew 2 up to high potash. The other one on the fabric finished safely. The 9 set on sand & soil either all blew up or rotted to either of the 2 fruit rots named above. I don't recall how many went down to rot exactly, but it was around 50%.

I found that a 3-4" layer of builders sand made for a firm base that gave the fruit good support. Then comes the 4'x4' section of fabric. On top of this we added a dusting of Play Sand which is much rounder than the builders sand.

The Play Sand on top of the fabric is sort of like ball bearings for the fruit. If you ever needed to move a 400 lb pumpkin to aleviate vine stress, then you know how desirable this can be.

continued

7/20/2004 9:24:54 PM

[email protected]

It is also said that worms, rodents, & slugs won't harbor beneath the Pulp Mill Fabric. I can honsetly say we've seen this to be true so far.

I found the edges to be sharp enough to rip both the pumpkin's & the grower's skin. Edges should be examined to insure they don't chafe the vines. Small sections of styrofoam might be helpful in the rare circumstance this poses a problem until the vine rises above the abrasive edge with the growing fruit.

In the off-season I found these to also make a dry, neat & clean flooring for our greenhouse. Since we didn't need the mats until last week, they served 2 valuable purposes in a garden in the past year with no unproductive down time what so ever.

This made the $40 shipping UPS charge from the Pacific Northwest a little easier to rationalize. LOL

Steve

7/20/2004 9:25:01 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

thick, industrial grade weed blocker material...or sand.

7/21/2004 6:38:07 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

very helpful folks, thanks!

7/21/2004 7:56:10 AM

Aromas, CA

Use "Rigid Insulation." That is the foam product with either foil or plastic on one side. It's the stufff that comes in 4X8 sheets
Steve

7/21/2004 3:18:43 PM

C N Y

you guys are all awesome! (no, not surprised)
i will print this out
and keep it handy. and, i will check the post from rootbeermaker as well---thanks, brigitte----------------eg

7/21/2004 4:54:32 PM

Indiana

what gives? welty and myself grow these things in the field by the hundreds, and we both have a low rot ratio. Just keep the fruit dry bottom line, sand is a good way to do so. Tents over the fruit, paper mill fabric is nice just because its slick for the fruit to slide across. Keep the fruit DRY! that will fix your problems of rot...unless you get a split.

Tom

7/21/2004 5:03:44 PM

C N Y

thanks! all i know is that last year, half of my pumpkins just up and rotted, on otherwise very healthy plants.

no reason, just BOINK! there's a gross-looking hole in my prized fruit. with stuff oozing out of it....it seems entirely possible that if something is in the soil that can and will affect pumpkin plants,
well, by golly, why wouldn't it go after the real trophy,
the 400-pound 845 X self fruit i am now pinning my hopes on?

hmmmm, i hope the seeds from it aren't infected. RECALL??? lol--thanks, y'all.............eric

7/22/2004 6:40:01 PM