Important:
In order to weigh a pumpkin at the Durham Fair you must submit an entry form so we know how many pumpkins to expect. Even if you think your pumpkin may not make it still send in an entry form since there is NO entry fee and no walk-in's will be excepted. Rules and entry forms can be found here Enter today and join the fun..

September

2010, The year of challenges:
This year has had unusual weather to say the least. Many growers were off to a fast start with the early warm weather. This brought pest earlier than expected and additional desease pressures. So it seems the weather is an important factor. If you have stem splits try to keep the area dry and a fungicide on it to prevent any rot from spreading.

However, if there is a split through to the inside seed cavity that pumpkins life is over. It may still continue to grow but start the clock until it turns to pumpkin mush. No matter how big or small the pumpkin is do your best to get it weighed (either as one piece, or in small pieces that you cut up and put on a bathroom scale).


Stay with your spray program:
While it is getting later in the season you still want to keep at spraying your pumpkin plants. With all the rain we have had disease pressure is still relatively high.

Plan on moving your pumpkin:
Now is the time to estimate the weight of your pumpkin (see the early to mid August section) and determine how you are going to move your pumpkin. A tarp will work on most pumpkins in the 200 pound range, an official pumpkin tarp can work for entries up to and over 1,000lb. but you need lots of friends. At least one per 100lb of estimated weight. There is also Bart's tripod system that makes it a one (or two) man operation. The important thing is to start thinking about this important step. We want to see you and your pumpkin so figure out how you are going to get your prize from the garden to the scale.

If you still have a pumpkin:
Consider yourself lucky many growers have lost their hopefuls for this year. So keep up with the tasks you have been doing all year because we are in the home stretch. Do not expect large gains in your pumpkin during September since the cool nights and quickly shortening days make it difficult for your old plant to continue to support the pumpkin.

Another tip from some growers is, you may want to cover your pumpkin at night to try and retain some of the mid-day heat. Simply put a blanket on it just before sun-set and remove it with-in a few hours of sun-rise or when it is convenient for you. Also, watch out for mice that may like to make your warm and sugary pumpkin its home.

If you lost all of your pumpkins:
Now is the ideal time to start prepping for growing season 2009. While this year may not have been yours, you can get a head-start on next year. Take a soil test, add amendments, make notes on what you learned from this year and what you want to improve on, there is always something to do.

Fertilizer and the final push:
As the fall temperatures drop your pumpkin will continue to grow but much slower than when it was warm in the patch. This slower growth temps growers to increase fertilizer in order to 'push' a few more pounds into their pumpkin. Cold pumpkins don't tolerate growth spurts well and the result is a season ending split. The better advice for late season is to make no changes in your fertilizer program and as it gets colder decrease or limit your fertilizer to something like seaweed.

Hope to see you at the Durham Fair!