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Entry Date
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Nick Name
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Location
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Tuesday, November 14, 2006
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Tony Pumpkin
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Abbotsford BC
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Entry 224 of 229 |
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With the help of someone very knowledgeable I have a plan to whip my soil into shape in early spring. I now know exactly what I will have to add and how—and I have all of it purchased. Looks to be less work that I first thought—but I need to get my hands on a rototiller—I think I have one lined up. Will go lower with the OM than at first thought—am finding out that OM is only a small part of the game—and one must not overdo it. Still, the tilling will be hard, and it will take me more than one year and one test to get my soil up to the ideal levels. Patience required here, inappropriately amended soil needs years to recover—no need to overdue it the first year and then have a useless patch for years to come.
I’d like to get some 45 gallon drums to gravity feed the plant through soakers, because this would make it much easier to deliver ferts to the right spot—the roots. I could then supplement with a little overhead water—keep the vine rot down. Also, I will definitely build a hoop-house this year as opposed to the 2X4 contraption of last year. This will cost some bucks for pipe, rebar, and plastic. Add another $100 for the heating cables I ripped this year (arhhh!!!).
Then there is the matter of ropes and pulleys to move the pumpkin from the yard—should I grow a good one. Will be looking at flea markets etc. for this equipment. In the meantime I am doing germination tests--got one of my 800 seeds growing in a tiny dish of water--nice thick stem, not spindly at all.
Trying to keep in mind a great piece of advice I recently got—“you gotta think big with AG’s otherwise what’s the point”.
The seeds are dried, the bubblers are in the mail, and while the Lawman and the NSB are busy eating turkey and putting on Christmas cheer, I’ll be gathering my strength and getting my game-plan on for the season ahead.
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