PUMPKINS: A crop so waterlogged, it's scary - Boston Globe

(photo via Christine Peterson for The Boston Globe)

We were not imagining it - this has been a very wet year. GardenSnob has noticed it primarily with tomatoes but pumpkin growers are also having a bad year. There has been so much rain that pollination rates are lower because bees don't fly in the rain. Then, fruits become so waterlogged, they fall off the vine early and rot. Read more about New England pumpkin farmers in this article by Michael Levenson for the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/09/18/a_crop_so_waterlogged_its_scary/?page=1

If you're looking for a pie pumpkin, we had good luck with the Long Pie pumpkin this year which is available at Fedco Seeds, a quirky co-op seed catalog. This heirloom pumpkin is shaped like a large zucchini and hails from Maine. When it is still dark green but sporting a circle of orange on its side, the pumpkin is ready to be picked. After a few weeks in storage, it turns a vivid orange and keeps well into the winter. It also has a voice that sounds a bit like James Brown, but it only speaks out in the field so you'd have to visit next year to hear that. :)

Read More in: Industry News | Plants

Related Articles:

• Pumpkin grower stakes record hopes on 'Beast from the East' - The Boston Globe - Oct 03, 2008
• Alice Waters Takes Kids Beyond Chicken Nuggets - NY Times - Sep 26, 2008
• Sunday Night Movie: Cows eating M&Ms and Potato Chips - Aug 24, 2008

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