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Tasmania Australia

Hi, just getting some things sorted ready for this coming season.
Now this might sound funny and maybe most will laugh at me, But this year i was thinking of growing the actual pumpkin itself inside a dome tent.
Yes i am serious, my theory was it will keep the pumpkin nice and dry, the sun won't be harsh on the skin, plus with a blanket or two over it during the night will keep it a tad warmer.
So the question is, am i wasting my time thinking down this track?
Yes i will have to modify the tent slightly, but all up is it worth thinking about or not at all?
Cheers.
Peter.

6/20/2015 12:28:04 AM

East Jordan, MI

keeping it dry and shaded is a great idea. We do that. We also use blankets at night as the nights start getting cooler to try and insulate from temperature swings.

That said.
Unless its cold out, I wouldn't completely enclose it without monitoring temperature inside VERY closely. Something totally enclosed with the sun beating down on it gets very hot inside (could be 30-40 degrees higher than outside temps) Think about how hot your car gets sitting in the sun, you could cook the pumpkin.

What we do is take 3 18 ft 3/4 PVC pipes and bend them to make hoops. We use rebar with a nylon twine tied to it to put the PVC over and hold it in place. Then zip tie a 8x10 to a 10x12 tarp to it. We tie the nylon twine to the tarp and the PVC This set up keeps the pumpkin dry and shaded and has withstood 60 MPH winds. The key thing is to make sure it is at least 3 ft above the kin and has the ends open so the heat isn't too close to kin and it doesn't get trapped inside the structure.

Good Luck!

6/20/2015 6:52:50 AM

Tasmania Australia

Cheers, sounds like a pretty good setup.
Do you by any chance have any photos of this setup at all?

6/20/2015 7:04:37 PM

East Jordan, MI

here is and end shot of one with an 8x10 tarp
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=221272

This shows the side pretty good
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=221283

This one shows the center rib that keeps the hoops all tied together (we just use duct tape to tape the center pole to the ribs -- makes it all move as one unit and really strengthens it)

6/20/2015 7:52:57 PM

East Jordan, MI

and now with the link for that last comment (where is the edit button ken?)
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=222956

6/20/2015 7:53:34 PM

Tasmania Australia

Cheers again, Looks like a very good setup indeed.
Better than working with a dome tent.
Might have to look at doing something pretty similar to that as you have said, it works.
Appreciated.
Cheers.

6/20/2015 11:45:42 PM

Vernal, Ut

Cecil what is the length and width you shoot for when putting this together? Thanks

6/21/2015 3:20:55 PM

East Jordan, MI

depends on tarp size ralph.

for an 8x10 (7.5X9.5 finished size)

the ribs are anchored in the ground around 9.5 long x 10 wide and the curve of the hoop actually lets the tarp cover about 9.5x7 ft.

Hope that makes sense....

6/21/2015 9:17:53 PM

East Jordan, MI

you also want the center rib about centered over pumpkin.

6/21/2015 9:18:55 PM