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Midway City, California

I am planning to use the Calcium and Towel Method on my Pumpkin. I Have 10% Calcium Concentrate that I deluted at a ratio of 1-1/2 oz to one gallon water. Soaked my towels in it and placed them on the pumpkin. How often do you do this and do you leave the towels on when they dry or are they removed? All other suggestion will be appreciated
Thanks John = Water

8/4/2003 11:47:45 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Hey John,

I've heard 10% Calcium rates of 1.5 - 3 oz per gallon. Same for the wraps presumeably. Some folks (Stelts?) leave the wraps on for a week. Then every irrigation cycle "re-wets" the calcium too. Then the wraps are soaked again in a fresh solution & the cycle continues. I can't vouch for this but then I never grew a pumpkin as large as him either. LOL

Steve

8/4/2003 3:11:16 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Steve,
I'm wrapping mine now, 2-3 days length.

8/4/2003 8:54:34 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I tried in vain all winter to find first hand information from a grower who was wrapping to share rate info on rates. Joe Pukos was the only one who had the info. He used a product that was half the strength as the one we have & used it at 4-6 oz/gal. The equivalent rate appears to have been ours at 2-3 oz per gallon. I do wish we had more to go on than this. Perhaps none of the folks who have tried it have computers?

Manufacturers won't even endorse a rate in writing because they fear the potential side effects if the method should cause a show quality fruit some harm & the potential bad press that would result. Even so, I have it on good authority that we're in the ball park.

Steve

8/4/2003 9:25:07 PM

Midway City, California

Thanks Guys for your input. For now I will go with 2-3 day intervals and a 1 1/2 - 3 oz per gallon. Thank afainand maybe we will get more info on it. John

8/4/2003 10:27:56 PM

derry n.h u.s.a.

The guys i know use 2 table spoons of calcium manidella,might have the name wrong! ,i guess they soak the apples in it to keep the skin fresh and snappy.so 2 tbls of calcium and 1 gallon of water,soak the rag or towal in it ring it out place on the pumpkin where needed,iffy blossem ends flat top pumpkins cracks small splits ,it seems to heal over night on small cracks and such,im also using it but going to wait for problems,i think Charlie Houghton and bruce whittier and Mr. Kuhn used it last year to help on their fruit,rewet when fairly dry.Hope this helped.Best of luck .John

8/7/2003 10:23:21 PM