Pumpkin questions

[Danno1]

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I built a 4 x 16 raised bed to try and grow some pumpkins this year. I'm letting them grow out onto the lawn at this point. However, I still have too many plants too close together. I'm planning on trimming some of the branch vines and maybe even some main stems to direct the growth to the fruit (vegetable?).

I've heard there's some type of bug that likes to eat the stems from the inside. How do you guys keep bugs from crawling up inside the hollow stem when you do this?


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[2LaneCruzer]

Squash Vine Borer:

Squash Vine Borer Management in Home Gardens

Squash bugs are a big problem too. When I asked down at the feed store how to control them, I was told that the best way is to plant more stuff than they can eat. Big help, when your bed is 24'X4'.

 

[Danno1]

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Nuts!

I've seen orange "wasps" around and didn't know what they were...


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[downslope]

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I built a 4 x 16 raised bed to try and grow some pumpkins this year. I'm letting them grow out onto the lawn at this point. However, I still have too many plants too close together. I'm planning on trimming some of the branch vines and maybe even some main stems to direct the growth to the fruit (vegetable?).

I've heard there's some type of bug that likes to eat the stems from the inside. How do you guys keep bugs from crawling up inside the hollow stem when you do this?


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How many plants do you have in the 4x16? I would NOT trim back the vines, just remove some of the later pumpkins that start to form out toward the end of the vines. Maybe leave 2 pumpkins per plant. If you trim the vines you will lose photosynthesis and there will be less water and nutrients going into the fruit. The younger leaves at the end of the vines will remain healthy longer and feed back to the fruit further up the vine. If you truly have too many plants in the area I would remove some entirely by pulling out or cutting off. You better have some bees in the area or you wil get nothing unless you want to pollinate by hand.

 

[Danno1]

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Ok, thanks.

I don't know how many I have, but I do know they're over crowded based on pics I've seen of some fields.

I was pollinating by hand until the bees found them then I quit. It actually worked quite well though.


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