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Well, another year, another try at growing pumpkins. I've been trying to grow them for 5 years now and I've had a success rate of exactly 1. I've been able to pick 1 pumpkin from the vine and even that one didn't get as big as it should have. I've never had much luck because year after year, once the pumpkins start to slightly turn color, they develop a white soft spot on one side and then just starts to die away. I'm not sure what this white spot is, but it seems to happen every year. I have attached pictures of this spot. Anybody know what this is and how I can prevent it? I posted this in another forum and somebody thought for sure that it was sunscald and the black spots were just a secondary infection. Let me also mention that it started off as just a white spot, and then the black spots developed afterwards. When this white spot developed, it was also a little soft at this spot, whereas the rest of the pumpkin was hard like it should be. Also, for the pumpkin growers out there, do you cut off the other pumpkins and just leave the one that's the strongest to grow? I did this last year, but I don't like doing this because I figure the more pumpkins that grown on a vine, the better the odds are that at least 1 will mature fully. However, I know that if you leave them all to grow, it takes nutrients away from the largest and strongest 1 on the vine. Thanks for any input anybody can give me. I'm getting ready to plant some seeds and I want to make sure I can prevent this white spot from forming. I'm crossing my fingers that this is finally the year!
Last edited by football45013; 04-28-2013 at 03:58 PM..
You should probably quit at this point because it sounds like the ground you are using is infected. The picture and your description point to Phytophthora disease, especially if you are located in the midwest where it is spreading and becoming a problem.
The rot on the bottom is common when it sits on damp ground, over watering can also rot the bottom.
Then some do not "set" on the vine and will stop growing, these need to be removed from the vine.
Some will place wood like a pallet or something under them to keep them off of the ground.
The black spots are rot, secondary.
Next what are you trying to grow?
Jack-o-lanterns or a giant?
To grow a giant you need to start with some good seeds like from an 'Atlantic giant"
Wait until The pumpkin has set on the vine then remove all others from the vine.
You should probably quit at this point because it sounds like the ground you are using is infected. The picture and your description point to Phytophthora disease, especially if you are located in the midwest where it is spreading and becoming a problem.
But I've planted pumpkins in different areas of my yard, but have the same issue. Surely my whole yard isn't infected with this, I wouldn't think. Also, those pictures of the infected fruit on the msu website don't quite look like what's infecting my sample pumpkin picture.
The rot on the bottom is common when it sits on damp ground, over watering can also rot the bottom.
Then some do not "set" on the vine and will stop growing, these need to be removed from the vine.
Some will place wood like a pallet or something under them to keep them off of the ground.
The black spots are rot, secondary.
Next what are you trying to grow?
Jack-o-lanterns or a giant?
To grow a giant you need to start with some good seeds like from an 'Atlantic giant"
Wait until The pumpkin has set on the vine then remove all others from the vine.
That one in the picture is a Big Max pumpkin. I've also tried Jack-o-lanterns and had the same problem. Finally, I have actually tried the method of placing the pumpkin on something to keep it from direct contact from the ground, but that white spot still forms. The only thing I can think of is maybe I'm not getting them off the ground in time. Maybe the rot has already started underneath the surface, but it's not showing on the outside yet, so I'm not seeing it. By the time I put it on something to keep it from direct ground contact, the rot has already started to settle in. Do you think I should possibly put the pumpkin on something while it's still green and small? Also, how will I know if a pumpkin has set? Thanks for the advice.
Remember not all pumpkins will set on the vine
and it looks like this one didn't.
Even tho they are still attached to the vine some will stop growing and start to rot.
Reasons stem from over or under watering, light, to the type of fertilizer you use.
A big max is not a true pumpkin but a type of squash.
I like growing Atlantic Giants but it will be a while as we still have 2ft of snow on the ground.
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