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Location

Message

Date Posted

CORNELIUS,NC,USA

PATTI O. PUMPKIN - Tried an AG in a 5 gallon hydroponic setup and the plant produced a 200+ pounder before July 1st. The growing medium was expanded clay pellets and ground coconut fiber. When the roots ran out of room in the 5 gallon bucket and the plant ran out of growing room(only 35 sq. ft.), things went bad fast. The worlds worst case of gummy stem blight has just about done me in. I have learned alot from the experiment and I believe with some adjustments I have in mind, hydroponics could grow a monster.

7/24/2002 3:50:57 PM

Stony Plain, Alberta (near Edmonton)

Hey, with lack of space maybe you could do the PUMPKIN BONSAI thing! LOL

7/24/2002 4:49:04 PM

prairie du sac wi

I always wonderd what a hydroponic setup whould do for an ag
200+ is pritty dam good for 5 gallons and 35 sq,ft.If I had alot of money I would set up a large hydro setup indoors and grow in the winter also.I would need a few 1000 watt HPS lights but it would work.Keep up the good work!!

7/24/2002 11:42:12 PM

Glen Echo, MD

Ah, a pumpkin pioneer! I too have limited space and thought about trying hydroponics. Since I only have room for one plant, I opted for (tried and true) conventional soil with a hydroponic fertilizer drip and foliar spray. Seems to be working OK - pumpkin is 94" circ. @ 26 days.

Based on your growing medium I assume you used an ebb/flow setup. What size container did you use to hold the fertilizer solution? How often did you change the solution? I was concerned that since pumpkins are hardy eaters, the solution would become unstable (i.e. change ph, nutrient levels, etc) too fast.

7/25/2002 12:08:44 PM

CORNELIUS,NC,USA

Used the drip system and had to add a couple of gallons in the morning and afternoon. Used General Hydroponics Flora-Grow/Bloom/Micro series in water and Neptunes Harvest Fish/Seaweed foliar spray. When it started to be impossible to keep up with the watering, I added a 10 gallon reservoir to feed the system. After years of experimentation, the Dutch recommended the 50/50 expanded clay pellet/coconut medium. Next year no coconut fiber, larger growing basket, 40 gallon reservoir with lots of systemic fungicide and aeration stones.

7/25/2002 1:32:54 PM