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Santa Ynez California

Hi. It is our first year and we just got a freak frost last night that is at least a month early. Our pumpkin weigh off is on Thursday the sixteenth. We are at about 825 pounds with our big pumpkin and stand to win biggest ever in our area. However frost fried the leaves on our vines. Should we leave the pumpkins on vines anyhow or take them off now. We were thinking of leaving a section of vine with them and putting this in a bucket of water if we remove them. However maybe they will lose less weight if still on vine that is still attached to stump. The days are still in low 80s. Any advice is most appreciated. I can not believe our luck with frost this year. We had a few days of freak late frosts in early May too. That was at least a month late. Now they are at least a month early too. Thanks. Steve

10/12/2008 1:56:11 PM

Pataskala,OH

Just leave it on the vine it cant hurt it any.

10/12/2008 3:08:46 PM

Bloomington, IN

Be sure to keep that thing covered too. A layer of frost on the pumpkins skin can speed up the rotting process from what I've heard.

10/12/2008 3:51:52 PM

Santa Ynez California

Hi. Thank you for advice. We thought that maybe leaving them on the vine would at least allow them to suck something out of the vines and maybe root system is still functioning. Thank you. We will cover them with blankets tonight. STeve

10/12/2008 6:16:58 PM

Santa Ynez California

ps. the vines themselves still look healthy but the leaves are all fried. Possibly we will get a few more days of life from the vines. Tomorrow weather goes back to normal hahaha. Thanks. Steve

10/12/2008 6:23:14 PM

Santa Ynez California

A few leaves are still alive on each vine so I covered them again last night and they made it again. 95% are dead but the vines must be okay as the few leaves that are alive look fine. I will leave pumpkins on their vines until the contest as at least this way they are probably not losing weight and may be gaining a bit hahahaha. The vines do look healthy and we are back to high forties at night again and low eighties in the days so maybe i can get a few more pounds on them in the next few days before contest hahahahaha. One can hope. Thank you again for advice. Steve

10/13/2008 6:29:06 PM

Reed Point Montana

we just got a freak 3ft. of snow :(

10/14/2008 2:26:45 PM

Rhode Island

your pumpkin will continue to grow for several days after a major frost so long as the fruit was covered and did not get damaged
pap

10/30/2008 6:59:25 AM