| |
|
Entry Date
|
Nick Name
|
Location
|
|
Thursday, October 12, 2017
|
|
DJW (Dan)
|
New Berlin, PA
|
 |
Entry 81 of 85 |
 |
|
|
|
Some notes (mainly for my records) on what worked, what didn't, changes to make, etc.
1. Instead of using PVC pounded into the ground to accept and hold my hoops for cold frames, I think I will try rebar that the hoops will fit over. The last two years I've had a heck of a time getting the PVC out, and its always filled with my clay soil that is under my patch. I think the rebar would be easier to remove, and just as strong, if not stronger.
2. Is there a way to empty an EZ-flo faster? Need to research this. Maybe EZ-flo isn't the best option when you want to put down a larger amount of a product. Maybe EZ-flo is best for light feedings.
3. Heating cables seemed to help a bit in the early season. Digging them out was a pain, and in fact both ended up tearing. Need to replace, and have more patience when removing in the future.
4. Bigger plants, 700 sq-ft this year, maybe bigger next time. Also, swept a bunch of secondaries forward (something like 4th secondary from the stump and each after until getting to the pumpkin). That seemed to work. Left the main run all season. Maybe only let the main run past the pumpkin, no secondaries. Just fill in with secondaries I sweep forward from the area between pumpkin and stump.
5. In my experience agri-fos at the high end of the suggested rates burned my leaves. I only spray in evening once sun is less direct. Never had burn from other products, so I don't think it was sun related. Agri-fos worked great otherwise.
6. Copper also worked well for what I think was angular leaf spot (or some bacterial spot).
7. What makes the stump dry up and the roots rot off toward the end of season? Is this common? Need to research.
8. Need to remember if I plan to adjust the pumpkin a little each day when it is small, to place mill fabric accordingly. This year I centered the pumpkin, then adjusted it like an inch per day, and in the end was off-center.
9. I believe my mushroom compost (mushroom soil as it is called around here) had a lot of weed seeds. Saw new species of weeds this year that I hadn't had in the past.
10. Best daily growth was 42.5 lbs/day. This was right after we had 6" of rain in a weekend or so. Maybe I need to water more during peak pumpkin growth...
11. Based on comparing my different plants, I think early pollination is great if you have the plant size to support it. I don't think I'll do anything too early if the plant size isn't there.
12. 10 pounds of WOW mycorrhizae didn't quite make it for two plants at 700 square feet each. Have to email Ron. Either I need to buy more, or I'm too heavy handed with it when vine burying.
13. Speaking of WOW, I may throw some of those starter packs in my planting holes for pumpkins. My wife used the free samples we got from Ron, and she was very impressed, as was I. Plus there's always Porkchop's tomato...
14. I got too comfortable using Eagle as my primary fungicide. PM wasn't an issue, but
|
|
|
