• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
  • Devaka Cooray
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Green Cushaw and Illinois White Pumpkin freeze tolerance

 
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I have a VERY early freeze coming, it will warm up again 3-4 days later. The time below freezing will be only about 2 hours a night.
I have Green Cushaw and Illinois White Pumpkins on my arbor, up off the ground, still growing. If I can cover the arbor, which would block the north wind adding to the chill, each evening, what are the odds they'll survive?  
I hate to pick them early if I don't have to. Normal "first freeze" is 5-9 weeks out from now. Still good growing time.

There are a few Illinois whites on the ground in another bed, and some itty bitty baby butternuts, that I really want to grow out, also on the ground. What are their odds if covered?

Out of the 100+ plants I put out, most of whom died quickly, I will be getting about 10 decent sized squash, and the babies. I REALLY would like to grow these out as long as I can.
 
master steward
Posts: 6999
Location: southern Illinois, USA
2556
goat cat dog chicken composting toilet food preservation pig bee solar wood heat homestead
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Being in the same climate across the state from you, you have my sympathy.   We both know there is no real way to predict.  I would cover and pray.  If I had any that were near ripe and useable, I would pick them.
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

John F Dean wrote:Being in the same climate across the state from you, you have my sympathy.   We both know there is no real way to predict.  I would cover and pray.  If I had any that were near ripe and useable, I would pick them.


I can pick the big ones, I hate to, I don't have a decent storage place ready for them, or time to process them down.

If the bigger ones are covered and still take a bit of freeze, does that damage the fruit? Seems to me the thermal mass of the squash would keep it from taking freeze damage, the leaves might take damage though...

Someone has to have seen this happen before and know what the result was. I hate to make decisions based on limited data.
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
aaand the weather prediction has gotten worse. They are currently calling 18 for me Tuesday night, the microclimate right here is always 3-5 degrees below the prediction. I'll probably get 13, as the cold wind is coming from the north, and my gardens are exposed on the north side, north of me is flat and few trees (two graveyards) the wind roars across the back yard.

Guess I'm picking out a bunch of my garden, even though it'll warm back up in a few days. I'll cover what I can, but pick it hard in case that's it.

Sigh.
Not what I wanted to do today.
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I also have  lot of daikons  still in the ground, if I cover them what are their odds? I want to harvest them, haven't had time. If I harvest them today I won't have time to deal with them for probably a week.
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Variant on the original question: Which squash are most likely to survive if covered, the ones on the ground or the ones hanging on the arbor? Cold north wind on them both.
 
Rusticator
Posts: 8593
Location: Missouri Ozarks
4560
6
personal care gear foraging hunting rabbit chicken cooking food preservation fiber arts medical herbs homestead
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'd think the ones on the ground would stand a better chance, because the ground hasn't frozen, yet, and would offer its warmth, rather than the freezing air, surrounding the trellised ones...?
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Carla Burke wrote:I'd think the ones on the ground would stand a better chance, because the ground hasn't frozen, yet, and would offer its warmth, rather than the freezing air, surrounding the trellised ones...?


That's my guess too...

I'm hard picking out most of my tomatoes
 
Carla Burke
Rusticator
Posts: 8593
Location: Missouri Ozarks
4560
6
personal care gear foraging hunting rabbit chicken cooking food preservation fiber arts medical herbs homestead
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Pearl Sutton wrote:

Carla Burke wrote:I'd think the ones on the ground would stand a better chance, because the ground hasn't frozen, yet, and would offer its warmth, rather than the freezing air, surrounding the trellised ones...?


That's my guess too...

I'm hard picking out most of my tomatoes



Me, too. And, I found a post... somewhere(), about the leaves & stems of the tomato being edible. So, I'm trying to find that info again, and I just might do something with those, instead of composting them, too.
 
gardener
Posts: 1811
Location: Zone 6b
1131
forest garden fungi books chicken fiber arts ungarbage
  • Likes 5
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I am expecting my fall garden to come to an abrupt end tonight. I picked all the remaining squashes, digged up and trimmed several pepper plants and cut long vines of tomato to ripen the fruits indoor.
If your daikons are not  seedlings they should be alright.
 
pollinator
Posts: 359
Location: Illinois, Zone 6b
87
fish foraging hunting food preservation cooking woodworking
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Pearl, I'm in the same area as you, but across the river.  Not scientific by any means, but all of the gardeners near me that actually care about harvesting their food have made their final harvest.  Below is the link to a thread that might offer some pointers, but yes, plastic/blanket insulation is what is most recommended.  I hope they make it!

here
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I did what I could. The vines all died. I need to bring in the smaller squash I left out there in hopes of the plant surviving.
Massive devastation of my whole garden.
 
Cy Cobb
pollinator
Posts: 359
Location: Illinois, Zone 6b
87
fish foraging hunting food preservation cooking woodworking
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
For there being so many cucurbit varieties out there, they sure are sensitive plants.  I lost 20 watermelon plants this year to squash bugs with zero mature fruit to show for my daily tendings & mass killing raids.  This was a freak cold snap for sure.  Would your squash still be good to eat since they were exposed to freezing temps?  I've got those fancy pumpkins (previously mentioned) on my porch, and they certainly have had frost a few mornings now.  I guess if they start to get soft, I'll cut them open for the seeds if nothing else.
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 14680
Location: SW Missouri
10143
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Mine will be okay.
Yours probably will too, but get them indoors as soon as you can.  I keep mine in a semi-heated garage. They neither freeze nor get warm.
 
Stinging nettles are edible. But I really want to see you try to eat this tiny ad:
A rocket mass heater is the most sustainable way to heat a conventional home
http://woodheat.net
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic