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Location

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Date Posted

Santa Ynez California

Hi. I am noticing many growers are building small huts for their pumpkins but I have been reading and been told to just lay a piece of white cloth on them. We have each of ours covered with an old white bed sheet. Is one any better of a method than the other or are both just personnal preference. Thanks. Steve

7/5/2009 11:03:39 PM

Rhode Island

the white sheets are much easier to work with as the huts can get in the way at times plus ya never seem to get them exactly the way you want them so as the fruit grows sometimes you need to reposition them.plus ya gotta trample all arouns the pumpkins to get it erected.

on the plus side if you have overhead covering over the fruit it does protect the pumpkin in case of a hail storm.
i just figure we work hard enough on these plants without having to erect 12 overhead structures as well.

sheets work very well. if they blow off? ya put um back on again. no big deal.if its windy? tie a couple corners to a small wooden stake ,etc.

theres a lotta wind in our patch even when its nots windy - lol

pap

7/6/2009 6:51:52 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Shelter does help protect against hail, water, etc. Yes they are a bit of a chore to erect. Plus you do have to erect it with enough space and air circulation so heat doesn't build up underneath.

Sheet, drawback here is that the slugs like to crawl underneath and chew holes in fruit to the seed cavity. And we have so much wind it wouldn't stay. Plus if it goes over 110f I do not like that little between SUN and fruit.

7/6/2009 8:07:11 AM

Santa Ynez California

Thank you so much. I will stick with sheets. Hail is not an issue in our area - nor rain in the summer. We are technically a desert hahahaha. However I am going to maybe double up the sheets as I am a bit worried about sweating out some weight due to warm weather - We get a lot of hundred-ish days. Thank you again. Steve
Ps. The blind leading the blind appears to be working well as my dad's biggest just broke 200 this morning and is posting about 20 pounds a day now too. His second biggest is almost at 200 too. I put it all to good advice off of here. Thanks.

7/6/2009 12:11:03 PM