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Help with my pumpkin plants

neillane30neillane30 Posts: 5
in Problem solving
HI all I'm hoping someone can help me.
I've had pumpkins growing in a modular system and was time to move them to outside as they had outgrown the box.

I dug a hole for each one, added some miracle grow continuous release pellets, planted the plant with some manure and added some fish blood and bone to help improve the soil and then watered them.

However my plants have gone from vibrant and strong to looking weak and limp in the matter of a few hours.

Can anyone tell me if they will survive or what I have done wrong?
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  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,987
    They dislike root disturbance, and are sulking.  Keep them well watered, by soaking the ground (not leaves) with several gallons of water each.  Uprooting them will set them back a bit, but hopefully they survive.
    Utah, USA.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    It's transplant shock - did you harden them off for a week or two by placing outside during the day and bring back in at night?
    If not, I would recommend that you erect some cover for them - anything which resembles a cloche will do:
    until they recover, which they probably will. :)

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • neillane30neillane30 Posts: 5
    Thanks for the quick replies it is really appreciated. The box has always been outside so they get used to the temperatures.

    I will keep watering them to make sure they survive.

    Did I do right by adding these to the hole I dug? I watched a few videos where people have used these and thought I had killed them by adding it.


  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    edited June 2020
    Those pellets should be no problem as long as you didn't overdose with them.  As the plants are effectively already hardened-off, It'll just be the different soil conditions (pH etc.) and I'm sure they will pick up in no time.  Cucurbits always seem to wilt a bit at first when planted out.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • neillane30neillane30 Posts: 5
    I added about a hand full in each hole which is actually well short of what it says on the tub as I didn't want to risk it and kill them off. Fingers crossed they pick up, thanks again everyone.
  • neillane30neillane30 Posts: 5
    Hi again, just want to post an update in case any one can provide any further knowledge or help.

    I've watered them a lot of the last few days and it seems to have helped. I also added a bit of liquid feed.  There is one flower you can see that this morning was very open and vibrant but seems to have drooped as the day has gone on. There is a flower underneath it that looks totally dead.

    Also some leafs are now their usual selves where as some are turning yellow and have no life.

    Do I cut the droopy leafs and the drooping flower off and wait for better re generation or leave them for now?

    I'm watering them 3 times a day, is that enough or too much?


  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    Couple of extra tips, do harden off the pumpkins as said. I transplant on cool overcast days, even in drizzle sometimes to avoid problems. I little drink of a seaweed feed before they come out of the pot, about an hour before seems to help a lot. I then water them in with the same mix, no sulking pumpkins!

    It's hard to water them too much and not a problem to remove weak and yellowed leaves, I always do. The fresh growth should be much stronger and more vibrant.
  • neillane30neillane30 Posts: 5
    Thank you very much. They were hardened before they were planted in soil but I think I was too violent when I removed them to plant them.

    When removing the leafs, do I just remove the top of remove the stem too?

    I am a bit concerned about the flower as it was fine this morning but now is looking droopy
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,987
    You can cut off the flower.. it's just a male one, and I can see plenty more above that will fill the same purpose.  My guess is you did not take a whole bunch of roots and soil with it when you transplanted.  That side they probably had roots all across that box.  So they are limp because the roots currently on the plant are not sufficient for the amount of top growth.  Cut off a few of those yellow ones, they won't be helping the plant out for long.. but the new leaves all look healthy.  It takes a while to recover from transplant shock.
    Utah, USA.
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    I snip the leaf stem off near the main stem with sharp scissors, it has no use once the leaf is decaying.
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