From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Springdale,AR

Should you put a shade over the pumpkins?

8/7/2003 6:44:58 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

It is wise to shade so as to prevent the premature maturation of the skin. Helps keep the skin elastic longer into the season.

Steve

8/7/2003 7:50:35 PM

derry n.h u.s.a.

Shadeing is the way to go bee,couple of steaks, or pvc in rabar,keeps the pumpkin cool and the skin fresh,good luck.John. oops dont forget the tarp:)

8/7/2003 10:11:15 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

I put a shade up over my whole growing area. I also have 4 covered with shade cloth. See my diary. Suzy

8/8/2003 1:34:55 AM

Lake Elmo, Minnesota

(4) 2-foot long pieces of 1/2" diameter rebar. Pound each one halfway into the ground (1 foot). Then take (2) 10-foot long pieces of 1/2"inch diameter PVC or conduit. Slide the PVC over the rebar and then over the opposite rebar(diagnol) to form a rainbow. Do the same for the other two corners and then tie the two PVC's together in the middle with plastic automobile ties or whatever. Then place tarp over it and clamp it down to the PVC pipe with the small hand clamps that are available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. Maybe $10 total for each shade structure. Extremely sturdy.

8/8/2003 9:19:47 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Then save the pieces to make your hoophouse in the spring.

8/8/2003 12:23:39 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I don't know if this would be "easy" for everyone. But I had some three quarter inch galvanized conduit in 10' lengths lying around. I ran them through my pipe bender (the worst part if you don't have access to one). They end up "U" shaped when I'm done. These I just hammered into the ground & covered with a 6' x 8' tarp ($3.88 at Walmart). Then I hammered a 10" long steel tent stake ($1.98 for a 4-pack at Walmart Made in the USA!) into the ground in the center front & back. Stretch then hook a cheap 16" bungee cord into the lower eyeholes at each opposing (like end) corner. Then pull the center of the now crossing bungee cord down till it hooks the tent stake. Seven pieces of reusable stuff worth less than $20.00 that went up in 10 minutes (after bending the conduit). It would take on heck of a storm event to knock it over. See the "Chapel Elementary School K-2" grower diary for a picture we posted earlier this week if interested. Though probably better to use orange colored tarps, I was rushed & settled for brown & silver.

Steve

8/8/2003 8:41:10 PM

Oz

steve,,oil based white paint will stop the heat build up in the tarps

8/16/2003 12:47:52 PM

Montoursville, PA

I liked a couple of the Ohio guys with their open end tents over. Heat rises and needs to escape. When it does in this arrangement it pulls circulation over the whole fruit. I set my open ends to the common East West wind flow. Put up a small secondary sun block at the end of one of the tents to stop sun entry late afternoon.

8/16/2003 12:56:38 PM