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This is the first pumpkin seed I've ever planted so please bear with me...
I planted an AG purchased in a package from Lowes. It's brought me much happiness as I have been watching it grow, taking photos, and reading everyone's diary here.
Last night I got home to find that something has gnawed off the last 12" of the main vine.
What do I do (if anything) to keep my dear pumpkin from dying? Also, any recommendations on future prevention of animal destruction?

7/24/2007 9:30:51 AM

Georgia

Id bury the vine or cut it off just past the pumpkin if its far enough out. Do you have a pumpkin set and if so how fars it on the main. No much ya can do about criiters exept sleep outside with a shotgun. I have thrtee feet high fencing around my patch and critters just burrow underneath it. I dont have much problem with too many animals because I have 6 dogs. Saint bernard,pitbull,Great dane,Lab,Weimeraner,Bulldog so not too many critters come around the patch.

7/24/2007 10:02:12 AM

I have a female on that vine, but the flower hasn't opened yet. The female is about 6" from where the vine was chewed off, and it's maybe 4' from the seed was planted. (my whole plant is only 5' long).
Burying the vine...should I dig down and bury it, or should I just pile dirt on top of it?
My husband wants to get a Weimaraner because it's so fun to say : )
Thank you so much for replying!

7/24/2007 10:43:21 AM

Minnesota

Pumpkin shouldn't die if the main is past it.
If you want to create a new main vine take the first secondary behind the break and make a new main from that as it will continue to grow out. Sowly position it in that direction. The tertiaries from the "new" vine will then become your secondaries. Pest control methods include Deer/Rabbit away sprays, Blood Meal , .22 Long etc... Live Traps, Non Live traps and on and on... Good luck

7/24/2007 10:48:02 AM

Hayward, CA

Jillygoat11,
we had a problem with cats digging up the areas around the stump and relieving themselves. We went to lowes also for our AG seeds. After the last time I went to Lowes and got the 3' X 100' bird netting and some 5' green plastic coated landscape poles and zip tied the netting to the poles. the netting was pulled taught enough to seal the bottom and we added more soil to that area to make sure. No more cat problems. Wanted to utilize the .22 longrifle, but was out voted by my wife.(ferrule cats). A note on the weimariner, we have one. If your problem is cats, and you get one, you will not have cats. This dog is incredibly fast, Much faster than any cat. Our patch is in the front this year, dogs are in the back. One of the cats wandered into our backyard one evening. The dog had it on his bed like a prized toy the next morning. This dog is not smart enough to have fear of anything, so there are often alot of strange 'toys' found on his bed.
Get the netting, it is easier to clean up after.
Puter

7/24/2007 3:49:39 PM

President - GPC

Ahh, the most common disease for pumpkins is cannine disease not feline.....squirrels like to gnaw off vines......

7/24/2007 4:24:36 PM

Mount Prospect,illinois

Squirrels got both my mains. You should start fighting back like i am. Trap and umm.........relocate......wife is making me.

7/24/2007 4:40:08 PM

Wood River, IL (kennyw_49@yahoo.com)

Jillygoat

Where do you live? I like Dave have had trouble with squirrels chewing on my vine. Some grower thing they do it when you don't get any rain. One of my vines were chewed after a all day rain with a full bird bath within 15 feet of the patch.

So I started giving the squirrels swim lessons. Catch them in a trap then stick them in a 5 gsllon bucket full of water. Just a side note there pretty slow learners.

If your from an area that is hot and sticky this time of year your going to need to cool the female after pollinating. I use 2 frozen soda bottles next to the female under a cooler.

Good luck

Kenny

7/24/2007 5:18:11 PM

Hayward, CA

OK, get the dog. We have found those 'toys'on our dogs bed as well. Like I said these dogs are fast. No one cares if the squirrels are disappearing, but they do miss the cats.....
Puter

7/24/2007 5:46:56 PM