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Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

I've read conversations about using orange tarps to cover pumpkins, but I cannot seem to find any. Can someone point me towards one. And if not, is there interest out there in getting some made? And to tie in to the calcium towel topic earlier, has anyone thought about using orange towels soaked in calcium?

7/22/2004 1:11:57 PM

Indiana

http://www.tarpsdirect.com/

Tom

7/22/2004 1:14:34 PM

Eugene, OR

This may be a dumb rookie question but why orange? Is there some advantage other than aesthetics to using a nice orange colored tarp or towel?

7/22/2004 2:14:08 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

Thanks Tom! Got them ordered.

Brian, it has been suggested that orange tarps covering pumpkins can either help to make a pumpkin deeper orange in color or to help grow them larger. While I have no idea whether this is true, it certainly can't hurt.

7/22/2004 2:38:52 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

The company is Tarps Direct, but the URL is actually http://www.tarpsonline.com

7/22/2004 3:00:37 PM

Eugene, OR

Ah OK. Thank you for the info. I wonder if it really works? I do agree though, it certainly can't hurt.

Good luck!

7/22/2004 3:24:30 PM

Utah

does it really work ... I don't think so.
gordon

7/22/2004 4:54:50 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

At first sight it sounds quite impossible but at second....

I know red weed block plastic is used with tomatoes to produce higher yields.
The tomato real plants think they are surrounded by plants that are loaded with red tomatoes and the real plants want to compete with them and thus produce higher and also tastier yields.

Maybe the same is true with pumpkins only that one has to use orange tarps....

Not impossible!

Martin

7/22/2004 5:00:47 PM

Western Pa.

Dave Stelts is a FIRM believer in orange tarps!

7/22/2004 5:33:35 PM

[email protected]

Lots of info on use of plastic mulches, row covers, etc. here! http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/default.html Not much on pumpkins.

7/22/2004 6:16:08 PM

Indiana

I am a firm believer in orange tarps to Gordon! haha

Tom

7/22/2004 7:01:12 PM

South Hill, Virginia

I remember a year or two ago Stelts came on here and asked where he could get orange tarps. That was good enough for me, I got mine:) I imagine tarpsonline wondered why there was a sudden run on orange tarps!

7/22/2004 9:39:30 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Get some light colored tarps and spray paint them lol...Or use the old white worn out sheet method and dye it bright orange and you will not see the stains anymore....lol.....

7/23/2004 3:41:37 AM

Ljubljana, Slovenia

and what about greenies?

7/23/2004 4:07:25 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

They are not worth any special treatment....lol..

7/23/2004 5:37:49 AM

Utah

so ... the 1st question is... what does an orange tarp do that a non-orange tarp doesn't ? what's the point? larger fruit and/or more orange fruit ?

next is there any science behind any of this ? what's the theory ? anybody done any scientific (or non-scientific) experiments or tests ?

7/23/2004 9:41:30 AM

Cologne / Germany

Gordon, the only reason I know is what Martin described 8 lines above. Heard the same thing some time ago, but I don´t know if there´s any scientific proof.
However the professional tomato growers don´t have red glass in their greenhouses as far as I could see...oops..gap in the market LOL -)

7/23/2004 9:49:44 AM

Woburn, Ma

So, if I was to put my checkered table cloth on it I wonder if it would develope a checker board colored skin?... since I am out there all the time anyway at least I could play checkers while I am watching it grow.

7/23/2004 11:11:34 AM

Utah

I'm not saying it doesn't work - but i am skeptical at this point. There are lots of things that work that people don't know why, for what ever reason.

so how does a plant know that something next to it is a certain color ?

7/23/2004 12:09:27 PM

Eugene, OR

Awesome discussion. I know nothing of pumpkin plants other than that they're amazing plants to grow but I do know plants can do amazing things.....almost like they have eyes.

There's a type of plant that grows on rock walls but I can't remember the name right now. I have seen time lapse photography of the plant on one side of the wall reaching over the other side in search of a crack in which to place a seed. A plant searching for a crack in a wall?? If that's not some sort of "intelligence" then it's the most amazing display of dumb luck I've ever seen.

7/23/2004 12:22:07 PM

Benton Ky

My cousin commercially grew tomatoes for several years. He tried the red plastic and said he saw no difference.He averaged 40,000 - 60,000 lbs per acre with black and red.I do know they used something else for friut set and it might be different in a home garden with out this. I personally don't understand how the plant could tell the difference in color either.I am sure darker colors would attract more heat.

7/23/2004 1:06:35 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

Maybe that's why my pumpkins turn out blue. (just kidding)

The red weed mat may be reflecting a portion of the light
spectrum that the leaves use.... or maybe it's at least
better than a black weed mat or brown or black soil.

Reflected on the leaves, maybe there *could* be something
here... but on the fruit I'm more skeptical.

Cliff

7/23/2004 1:15:35 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

Sometime try this... before a picnic where watermelon will
be served, very carefully cut a 1-inch square section away
from the watermelon, carefully because you will be
replacing it later. Then with the section removed, "pour"
in some grape juice. (It may take a while.... depends on
the freshness of the watermelon.)

When you serve the watermelon, cut it up and you have
purple grape melon.

Just thought you'd want to know......

7/23/2004 1:23:24 PM

Western Pa.

Seems like I remember something a little stronger than grape juice!

7/23/2004 1:31:47 PM

Choctaw, OK

I believe in orange tarps too. What i have really noticed is that an orange tarp can really cut down the amount of green on a very white fruit that developes later in the season.

What should one use over a green fruit?? green tarp??

case

7/23/2004 9:42:21 PM