Summer '16, how are your cucurbits doing?

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

Just curious if anybody around the Phoenix area is having a tough time with cucurbits this summer. I'm trying a few varieties of pumpkins and gourds and they're all very small and very slow compared to past years. I can't think of another variable that would affect all of them... has it been an extra hot summer?

What are you growing and how are they coming along?

Featured Answer

iandyaz

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I don't know if this has any relevance to you but one thing I learned not to do is plant pumpkins too close together. I put 3-4 seeds on 1 sunny spot and then nothing else for at least 6 feet in all directions. If all 4 seeds sprout I'll remove 1 or 2 from the area depending on how close they are to each other.

Also, I cover them with row cover fabric, which in a way simulates the overcast sky during rain. It also keeps the plants from cooking and the soil from drying up too fast.

I think the row cover fabric helps them more than anything because I live in a house with a fairly small back yard with a block wall around it. That block wall radiates a lot of heat and doesn't allow as much wind so it's frequently hotter back there than a big field that pumpkins are usually grown in.

Also, if they are doing much better when it rains, one thing to look at might be the watering method you're using. I've since switched to automatic drip irrigation, which is the same thing as using a cheat code for growing plants. Before that though I used a hose and set it to a very slow trickle and let it sit there for a few hours every day up until the plant is a few weeks old, then started spreading it out over a few days as the plants grew.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

iandyaz
10 years ago
My summer squash finished up a few weeks ago and I started pumpkins.. so far no problems. Are you fertilizing with anything? I use fish emulsion along with a tiny amount of some blooming stuff..
cwlucking
10 years ago
What blooming stuff? I'm about to plant pumpkins for autumn and mine have struggled a bit in years past.
Related Professionals
Birmingham Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Danville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Virginia Beach Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Logan Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Shreveport Landscape Contractors · Jacksonville Landscape Contractors · Chico Landscape Contractors · Longview Landscape Contractors · Pensacola Basement Remodeling · Portsmouth Basement Remodeling · Manchester Basement Remodeling · Akron Basement Remodeling · Las Cruces Basement Remodeling · Scottsbluff Basement Remodeling · Montréal Basement Remodeling
iandyaz
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I use this stuff for some plants: https://amzn.com/B000FPME9K

I've also been using up the remainder of some other blooming fertilizer I bought a long time ago and the label has worn off since then but I'm pretty sure it was a generic version of the miracle gro blooming stuff.

As a side note, I've found pumpkins will grow based on what you give them, meaning it's harder to over fertilize them than most plants. (although extremely fast fruit growth can be bad for some varieties) From what I hear, you can actually use pumpkin plants to clear up an accidentally over fertilized area.
sunnyvalley
Original Author
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I've been fertilizing with the standard miracle gro and then switched to morbloom 0-10-10 now that they're flowering (and still foliar feeding with diluted miracle gro - jury's still out, but that's what people say to do).

This is my 3rd year trying to grow a pumpkin, just to experiment I started them early in May/June because last year I planted in July/Aug and was too late for Halloween. June was brutal on them, they didn't grow much but now a few of the survivors are catching up a little thanks to the monsoons. (Seriously, does rain water do something for plants that hose water just doesn't? They perked right up.) I've got a couple vines that look able to set fruit so I've got my fingers crossed.

iandyaz, I'm impressed your summer squash lasted that long! Mine pooped out in that heat wave a couple months ago.
sunnyvalley
Original Author
10 years ago
Good tips, I am doing the hose trickle too but I think next season I'm going to set up drip irrigation like you said.

Interesting about the row cover fabric. During that recent heat wave I improvised with some black shade cloth I lad laying around, but I think it hurt my zucchini more than I protected it. Too much shade I guess even for a few days made it pale and limp. I'd better look for some row cover fabric, that sounds more appropriate, thanks for the tip.
iandyaz
10 years ago
Yeah, I think the black fabric blocks too much light for cucurbits. I use black fabric over my cherry trees but it only blocks the sun when it's overhead and at the hottest. Side note: I added misting to the shade structure and it really saved my cherry trees.

For row cover fabric, I got the 10 foot wide fabric this year because I think that will last longer since it wont be sitting on the ground at all. I just put it over the 10 foot hoops I had from previous year trees. Now that I'm starting to get flowers, I plan on opening the ends of it to let pollinators in.