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Location

Message

Date Posted

Jefferson, Maryland

Folks,

I cut a pumpkin with stem rot, and I've got her in the garage. The stem has some softness and doesn't smell good.

I've got 31 days to get her to the fair.

What could I use to hold off disaster?

Hydrogen peroxide?

A blow dryer to dry it out?

Thanks,

Steve

8/14/2016 10:49:46 PM

Rhode Island

Captan powder works well. Fan will help. Cutting it off the plant will help dry it out too.

8/14/2016 11:15:36 PM

Jefferson, Maryland

Thanks!

She's in the garage now.

Would Daconil work like Captan?

8/14/2016 11:18:53 PM

Beaver dam ky

Captain is a dry powder use it or sulfur powder. Take a old toothbrush clean out all the rot then put a fan on it and let it dry. Then apply the powder. The main thing is to get the rot out it just creates more.

8/14/2016 11:52:50 PM

Omaha, Ne.

I just lost mine the same way. I tried peroxide, alcohol and a big fan. didn't work. I even lost them outside with daconil and sulfur and captan. I would if i had the chance over would be sulfur and a blower.

8/16/2016 8:14:30 PM

Omaha, Ne.

sometimes they will last but some don't.. sorry best of luck. if you get something to work let me know.

8/16/2016 8:17:35 PM

Omaha, Ne.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=226142

8/16/2016 8:19:03 PM

South Carolina

In my experience, once cut off the vine, the stems are the first to go...

I've had very good luck cutting off the entire stem as close to the pumpkin as possible.

Scrape away any and all rot.

Apply peroxide and scrub until there is no foaming and the peroxide runs clear.

Pat it dry with paper towels and apply a light dusting of sulfur.

Keep fan blowing air over the area constantly...

I've had them last months after the stem was cut off this way.

Good luck!

8/16/2016 9:21:26 PM

Jefferson, Maryland

Mine went concave. No exterior stem, with a 2 inch deep "hole."

Clearly on the way down fast.

I just went all in and sprayed the hole closed with an insulation foam.

My hope is to make it airtight.

I assume the interior rot will continue. I am hoping that depriving it of air will slow the breakdown.

The outer shell is quite hard, so it might possibly hold til our fair.

8/16/2016 10:16:06 PM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

The thump check method. Thump the pumpkin on the top, you'll get a solid sound or hollow (soft)sound. Thump it daily, you'll know when it is close to collapsing!

8/17/2016 9:53:02 PM