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Central PA

One of my pumpkins competely stopped growing at 112 lbs. Tho I was bummed, I was still ok because I have three others going, even those they have slowed down. Anyway now one week later it has completely collapsed!

Is that normal?
Is it because of the wet weather?
Or I've just failed my first year at this hobby with some newbie mistake?

Is there anyway to 'keep' a pumpkin at this point in the season? Or any pumpkin that stops at this point (early Aug) is dead for good because it will rot in short order?

8/11/2004 3:23:37 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Same thing happened to me yesterday, and I ain't no rookie.
My 898 Knauss grew in a way that the blossom end rotated towards the bottom and the pumpkin grew on top of it, causing it to apperently split and rotting as a result.
I had originally propped that end up with support but the fruit insisted on growing the way it did, I couldn't change that.
Sometimes things like this happen no matter what you do, or how well you care for a pumpkin....you can compensate many times, but you can't alter the shape the pumpkin is going to grow.

8/11/2004 4:18:03 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

And no, you can't "keep" the pumpkin. If air got into the cavity, it's toast.

8/11/2004 4:18:48 PM

Central PA

Odd thing is that plant has a wishbone vine and it has a pumpkin that the blossom fell out and cracked. I patched it with Captan and it is still growing. The pumpkin that collapsed didn't have a hole that I know of. MOF it was a nice looking pumpkin.

Thank you for your information! I hope my other pumpkins do not follow this ones lead...

8/11/2004 4:38:40 PM

Ohio

u didnt happen to use any of that hard stuff did you? the 0-0-60? Just curious if you used this at anytime.
Brooks

8/11/2004 8:36:27 PM

Central PA

Sly - I have all but a pound of the 0-0-60 in it's bag on my shelf. (Anyone want it :)

When I first bought it in June I put a little around 3 out of 4 plants. This was one of the 3. When I saw the females coming I did put some out (end of June), not much. Luckily, I read the message board here @ BP, before I put anymore out and now the rest remains on my shelf.

I will note that one of the others that got some 0-0-60 in late June has produced females left an right (still to this day) yet not a one takes hold.

I'll never touch 0-0-60 again! I'm not sure that is what caused this pumpkin collapse, but I suspect it did something to my 'non-setter' plant.

I've checked and haven't seen any signs of bugs (SVB), but my vines have been plagued with splits. The main vine going to this pumpkin that collapsed has a couple bottom splits. But they are still non-mush, actually very solid.

I'll have to post pictures of my stems. I think I can win a prize for them. They are split, cracked, splintered, etc. You name it they are butt ugly and huge. Yet, they are still supporting two pumpkins, which passed 100 lbs each.

What causes the splits? Nature or is that a sign of going a bit to heavy on the ferts? Or just this wet year and not much we can do about it this year?

8/12/2004 10:34:43 AM