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Rhode Island

if you have not already done so its time to clear out the dead and dying leaves around the base, cut out any leaves that are rubbing against the fruit, and uncover that soil you buried the main in.
why?
the base is the foundation of your plant. keeping it dry most of the time is important to help in preventing stump rot and such ( spray with daconil a few times a week)
uncoveruing the main leaves it exposed to the the air and also makes it easy for daily inspection ( we only bury them early to make it harder for squash vine borers to get in and also to encourage early root growth
keeping the area clean around the pumpkin also allows for good air flow. which is important.(spray the pumpkin stem several times a week with daconil as well )
pap

7/27/2008 7:59:19 AM

Good Tips Pap. Thanks!!!!

Martin

7/27/2008 8:38:24 AM

Minnesota

Does that mean the main all the way out of just around the stump area?

7/27/2008 11:09:18 AM

Rhode Island

all the way down main street rich. from the base to the pumpkin.
plus a couple ft of each side at the main is good to do as well.

pap

7/27/2008 7:37:44 PM

Buffalo, New York

oncover the stump too?

how do i know svb's are gone now in my location?

7/27/2008 8:39:17 PM

Williamsburg,KY

Thanks Pap, again, right on time. I was wondering about this very thing. Cant wait for Dick's Tips. Im hoping my 1018 VanHook, your seed will make it to Nancy. Thanks for all your time and willingness to share. Croley Bend

7/27/2008 9:56:03 PM

Rhode Island

jeremy
we dont bury the stump.
pap

7/28/2008 5:33:27 AM

Ct

Just to clarify, { i'm a new grower }, I should go down to my pumpkin patch and start clearing dirt away from where it comes out of the ground? How much? Should I expose the roots?

7/28/2008 9:43:10 AM

Washington

Don't expose the roots. The base of your plant is where the orginal plant started. It should not have been covered. If it was, clear away some dirt. Unburying the main vine allows for flexibility and less stress on the pumpkin stem. Pap is also referring to pruning any new growth that likes to appear on the stump at this point. The older leaves near the stump are breaking down at this point so are not contributing to the plant but may invite disease. We don't need to use daconil unless there is a problem. Sometimes we spray a bleach solution - it takes care of minor issues. Sherry LaRue

7/28/2008 1:59:20 PM

Ohio

" Sometimes we spray a bleach solution - it takes care of minor issues". Sherry LaRue
Could you please explain your bleach solution???
How much bleach/water & what problems does it take care of???

7/28/2008 2:57:09 PM

Washington

I just put some bleach (probably 1/2 cup or so) into a spray bottle and fill with water. We recently had a little ooze on a stump, didn't look disease related. I sprayed the bleach solution on it 2 days in a row and now it is fine. Bleach will kill minor mildew problems. I spray it on soft spots on vines. Once I had a pumpkin that had a white spot that started to mold, I sprayed it, the mold went away and the pumpkin continued to grow. Major problems you would treat with whatever it calls for. Bleach is more for small things. I need to say that we don't have squash bugs, vine borers or any disease problems in our area, (knock on wood).

7/28/2008 3:01:55 PM

Ohio

Thank you for that suggestion..........ALL those things you say you don't have , we got them ALL & a whole lot more. My battle this season is with excess rain.....I dust for bugs in the daytime & that night the rain washes it away.

7/28/2008 3:45:00 PM

Frisco, TX

I am a first time grower and didn't cover my vines. I found SVB's in my vines and leaves. I cut out all I could find, rubbed bleach water on each spot, cut off what looked too damaged. My pumpkin is 88 inches around at around 25 days. I am afraid the vine and pumpkin are going to die, but am optimistic that what is left is green and appears healthy. Thanks for the advice, Pap! This is the most fun I have had in a while!

7/29/2008 11:58:39 PM