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Fairport,NY

I have been think about this since the nights have been getting cool around here. If you keep the pumpkin warm at night with blankets does it cause the "vacuum effect " of the cool water in the vine to "jump" into the pumpkin because of a heat differential between the Pumpkin and the rest of the vine? I might be thinking this thru too much but If the pumpkin stays to much warmer than the rest of the plant could the difference also cause it to crack or split like pouring warm water on cold glass? I you think of the pumpkin acting as a "sponge connected to a tube(vine) i'm wondering if you pass cool water through the tube(vine) and then warm the sponge(pumpkin#1)as a test and have a second cool sponge(pumpkin#2)as a control if you can see a visable difference between the two sponges in how much water they absorb? Could I be on to something ?or am i going crazy thinking about these Giant Pumpkins;)

8/17/2007 9:00:08 PM

Leicester, NY

Not 100% sure what you’re talking about. As we get later into the season and cold nights are upon us, I do recommend allowing the fruit to warm up during the day and then cover it at night with the blankets. One will not get the drastic changes in fruit temperature and I believe that’s a good thing. I think you will have less splitting overall and better growth through the night meaning bigger fruit come fall. Just my observation, nothing scientific about it.

8/17/2007 10:34:25 PM

Fairport,NY

Thanks for responding to this post Joe(by the way you grow some amazing pumpkins!!)i'm not 100% sure of what i'm asking either i just thought that by warming the pumpkin it might help in drawing water to it ? Kinda like if you take a empty bottle and throw a piece of lit(on fire) paper in it and than place a hardboiled egg on top of the bottle the vacuum effect from the heat in the bottle sucks the egg into the bottle?

8/17/2007 11:26:11 PM

southwest MO

Cover one and dont cover one... Let us know what happens!!

8/18/2007 5:17:49 PM

St. Thomas Ontario

I've got two going on one plant this year Bumkin which i'll be testing a similar theory on. Both growing at roughly the same rate, pollinated a couple days apart. When cold weather hits (below 10 degrees celcius), i'll be covering one, and let the other be 'elementally exposed'(like that's a word;). And hopefully put the "cover"/"no cover" theory to rest...at least for myself. The only variables will be side vrs main vine. Genetics, water, soil conditions are all the same. Should give a pretty accurate answer.

Happy growing.

8/19/2007 4:02:53 PM

Fairport,NY

It is a question that i have been looking into just no acurate results yet? I have figured out that the number of grains of pollen left in the female at time of pollination plays a HUGE Part in determining the size of these Monsters it has to do with the number of seeds developing and speed of cell division inside that will determine the size. Its not all as simple as just water and fertilizer.
This is a question to all the growers reading this that have hit over a thousand pounds do any of you remember leaving more than usual amounts of pollen in the ovarys of the female flower do you use more than one flowers pollen to the flower that created the big one?

8/19/2007 7:00:41 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

"variables will be side vrs main vine". Hope you realize those are HUGE variables!

8/19/2007 9:15:31 PM

St. Thomas Ontario

There's not been a 'HUGE' difference in size or growth rate all year, so in my case i wouuld beg to differ...these two are running very simmilar, but seperate tracks in the same arena. If one's covered and the other is not and growth varies dramatically...i'll know if i'll be collecting comforters or not for next season;)

8/19/2007 10:25:58 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

How long have these pumpkins been on the vine and how big are they. Rule of thumb is the one on the main vine will out perform the side vine fruit in the long run. The side vine fruit will put on good growth in the early stages but slow up sooner than the main. That being the case when it's all said and done did the blanket test really prove anything or did the fruit just perform as they normally would? Just a thought.

8/20/2007 3:47:39 AM

St. Thomas Ontario

They're both over 500lbs, and around 50 days. I'll probably cover the sidevine fruit for the simple fact i love to see the 'underdog'(or pumpkin) come out on top. It's been my feeling all along, covering does help, more importantly i think if these 'big girls' get a chill...they don't wanna dance anymore;)

8/20/2007 6:04:33 AM