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British Columbia, Canada

So I had another frustrating thing happen to add to the list this year, a small rodent of some kind helped itself to my 7 day old pumpkin. Never had anything like that happen before although its been very dry and it may have eaten it for water. Anyways the pumpkin is tennis ball sized and the hole it made is about 0.25 inches deep and 0.5 across. I know I should cull it because it will develop into a huge indentation and probably split but I lost the main tips on both of my plants to the sun and it's the only pumpkin before that happened. Plus it's a 5 lober with a long stem and good positioning so it really sucks to lose it. I don't have any other pumpkins set, either.

Should I cull it or let it ride? The parent seed went 28% heavy so maybe the heavy genes could make the walls thick enough for it not to split?

7/8/2021 1:26:44 AM

Georgia

I would not cull it until you had another one set. Then wait out the new one for twenty days and make a decision. I don't see the harm in kicking the can down the road before making a decision. But the certainly it would not be your first choice unless you really had no choice.

7/8/2021 7:14:36 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Cull it with no backup, what kind of a question is that? I'd focus on keeping the wound treated and dry. This is fairly common, many make it, plus you'll have a story to tell.

7/8/2021 8:49:19 AM

Grittyville, WA

Ouch what a struggle. I hope your luck improves.

7/8/2021 11:56:37 AM

Bethlehem CT

Great advice. Like Luke and Orange said wait until you have a back up. Sometimes it is best to not go for perfection and trust that the damaged pumpkin will be OK. There have been many years where I was glad I left a damaged pumpkin. A small scar on a really big pumpkin isn't such a bad thing.

7/8/2021 12:46:19 PM

Colorado

A giant ugly scar makes for great conversation at contests.

7/8/2021 2:19:55 PM

British Columbia, Canada

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll keep it at least until I have a backup.

7/8/2021 10:04:10 PM