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Southern Illinois

insecticide warrior---fungicides captan 50--ridomil gold bravo---bravo with wetting agent---oxidate---serenade with neem oil---telone c 17---spreader sticker latron b-1956---fertilizer agroplex plant growth stimulants,fruit boost,early vigor with plant hormones,2 plant growth reg,18-46-0,0-46-0,0-0-60,calcium nitrate,high potassium foilar spray,liquid fish,6-24-24 foilar fert,20-20-20 foilar fert,kelp,i think that is all,oh yes by next spring i will have added at least,one truck load of manure at each of my 35 plants,and many leaves,herbicide strategy,cobra,poast plus,blazer,i will only use strategy and poast and plus in my 1,000 pound patch.

11/7/2002 11:47:21 AM

I'm a newbie (haven't even grown one AD seed)...so forgive my ignorance....but, does EVERYONE use this many chemicals and such a mix!?!?!
It sounds like a recipe for a toxic soup!

I would love to hear from others what they use on a regular basis....are there routine chemicals that everyone uses as a "preventative"....and specific ones that are used if a problem develops??

Trying to plan for my first season so, post away folks!
:-D Michele

11/7/2002 12:32:49 PM

ooops....that should say AG seed. sorry.
M

11/7/2002 12:33:29 PM

Southern Illinois

hello michelle,oxidate will kill powdery mildew and downey mildew on contact,ridomil gold bravo is for seed rot,root rot,gummy stem blight,damping off,fruit rot,black rot,black mold---telone c 17 is a soil fumigant,serenade turns on the plant natural immune system to help fight off disease,plus it has neem oil,bravo is used for vine rot and i have alot of it so i use it,captan has protective and curative activity,a must for a pumpkin grower it is used for many things,each one will play a roll in keeping my plants healthy,you can not use just one fungicide,fertilizers every one will use these fertilizers,may be not as many but they are all used by a grower,i do not like weeds so i use a pre-emergence and a post emergence herbicides,

11/7/2002 1:07:14 PM

San Diego

Hey heavy hitter, not everyone uses all that stuff. I have learned that most of those chemicals you use not only kill diseases but also the human sprayer! They are horrible to our bodies as well. I have used all natural things for pest and disease control. I know one thing, what I use is safe and effective for my plant and my own health. Jim

11/7/2002 1:15:17 PM

Southern Illinois

hello jim,i said that is what i am going to use,if i only had a few plant i would may be go your way,i think it is great the things you use on your plants,but 90% of grower use chemicals when they plant a few acres of pumpkins,and when i use chemicals i am extra care ful,i have been around chemical all my life,us farmers use chemical on our soybeans,corn, 2 major crops grown around here,i am legal to handle these chemicals at sea on the river are land,and i know the the things i use are effective on my plants,so i am happy with the things i use,and you are happy with the things you use,and any thing you use i guarantee i can find a problem it could cause if not used properly.

11/7/2002 1:48:14 PM

Caceres, Spain

Hi Michele, Heavyhitter is a soldier in the middle or war against every pumpkin enemies. I would like to have all his stuff in my cellar and... do not need to use at all. The bad thing is that always is better to prevent than to cure, then you have to use chemicals, but in my humble opinion the less the better, because many of the -cides slow plant growth, and kill too many species and sometimes people. I had two neighbours, brothers, farmers that use many -cides in their crops and both of them suffer from neck cancer and the youngest passed away because it.
The truth is that not everybody using them is legal and wear enough protection.
The only thing I wouldn't use from heavyhitter top equipment -for my 2500 sq ft pumpkin patch use, wicn isn't his large farm- is herbicides, I defenetly prefer weed manual control. The rest depends on your place usual deseases. Where do you live, Michele?
Don

11/7/2002 3:01:33 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Michele, I think most feel comfortable with a Sevin/Daconil weekly regime for bugs and fungus...alternating with other simular product for diversification...captan is a most have in the box for what ails a pumpkin....and maybe something extra when a problem arises...I would prefer a shotgun for the woodchucks but the town ordinance sez it is illegal to discharge a firearm with the city limits so I have to catch them alive but a guy in town got fined 200 bucks for releasing a racoon at the resevation because now it is illegal to bring them to the wildlife reserve ....it might upset the balance in the wild...Yikes..

11/7/2002 3:53:04 PM

Bobcaygeon Ontario

heavy..I see the pictures of your field, thats alot of pumpkin plants,and alot of work.Did you get a big one this year?

11/7/2002 5:30:33 PM

Southern Illinois

i am a commercial ag grower,i raise atlantic giants every year for commercial sales,but this year i did get a few seeds from howard dill,that were suppose to be out of 500 pound pumpkins are so,every year i can get a few 300 lb pumpkins,but mainly around the 100 pound range,my biggest pumpkin so far is around 450 plus,but i have good seed for next year,and instead of raising thousands of pumpkins i am going to raise 35 proven seed in my patch here at the house and i will raise a few on the farm,and i think may be around 10 to 30 acres of commercial ag,next year.

11/7/2002 5:54:31 PM

Bobcaygeon Ontario

My back is sore just thinkin about lifting all those pumpkins....HeHe, good luck next year!

11/7/2002 6:20:56 PM

Southern Illinois

that is for sure ren,i am in my 30 s,not to many more years of doing that,2 years ago there is a guy that buys 100 to 500 of my biggest pumpkins every year,he will bring 2 guys with him,with a stretcher,they set the stretcher down and roll the pumpkins on it and carry it out of the patch.

11/7/2002 6:37:21 PM

Kuna, Id.

Rick,
If it were me I would be the one on the stretcher,not the pumpkins.
Ken

11/8/2002 12:08:30 AM

[email protected]

HiCal Lime allready down. Another soil test in March, more lime as needed, but probably just dolomitic if needed.
More Horse & Cow Manure this weekend & as much compost as possible before the ground freezes.
__________
16-24-11 63% ASRN w/MAP & SOP and Granusol Iron pre plant.
Liquid NutriCal 10% Ca, 6.5%N & Ammonium Nitrate 26-0-0 early if cold. Maybe Urea if warm.
_____________
20-20-20 soluble with Bolster BioStimulant (from Kelp)
plus Microflo PGR IV in a regular 10-14 day rotating supplement program.
Another soil & Tissue test for K & Ca just before flower/fruit set.
__________________
Daconil & Mancozeb for contact fungicides in rotation.
Eagle (Nova), Quadris, & mayble Bayleton50 for systemics.
Asana, Merit, Talstar (bifenthrin), & maybe Sevin for insect rotation. Have Captan & others for rescue options. Tanked weekly.
________________
0-0-62 Kcl blended 60/40 with 0-0-50 Sufate of Potash late. Maybe some 12-24-24 or 16-32-16 soluble as the needs be for the finish.
______________

But then I'm a certified fertilizer/pesticide salesperson & have handled pesticides commercially for 25 years.
Still debating a ground soak system or current automated o.h. impact system. It's humid here & PMildew is brutal.
'03 will be first year for AG's, but have grown Pumpkins for years now. Patch had '02 off. I can't wait!!!

Steve

11/8/2002 11:08:33 AM

Southern Illinois

hello steve,high calcium lime we have around here is 99.4%,i will use horse and cow manure,i would like to find out more about the 16-24-11 iron pre plant,i make my own calcium sprays like nutri cal,i use ammonium nitrate alot,i am interested in the 20-20-20 bio stimulant from kelp,i use pgr iv on my commercial crops only,have you ever try using ridomil gold mz,it has mancozeb,i like it,have used asana on my peppers,it looks like you are ready, i like your selection,do you use any type of soil fumigant,and i see you did not mention warrior.

11/8/2002 1:42:11 PM

Caceres, Spain

Hi heavyhitter, wehat do you think about metam potasio and basamid as soil fumigants? I am thinking in using one of them in spring soil preparation, with the appropiate rutine, of course.

11/8/2002 2:50:56 PM

Hobbiton New Zealand

heavy hitter is there a spray to kill weeds that wont
do damage to pumpkins.
If so whatis the brand name and who makes it so I can see if I can track some down in New Zealand.

11/8/2002 4:50:57 PM

[email protected]

Hello HH,

I like WarriorT. Llamda cyhalothrin in a micro-encapsulated suspension. The same as BattleCS & ScimitarCS but AG only I guess. Excellent insecticide. Quick & long. I have 1 qt of Scimitar here somewhere. Talstar (bifenthrin) aka Capture 2EC is a little longer residual & has Mite activity, so it's what I use the most around here, but I'm all ears. Mites aren't exactly big pumpkin pests as far as I know. Is Warrior more specific to a major pumpkin pest? If so, I appreciate your input.

Haven't used Ridomil. I do like Mancozeb though, especially with Eagle (nova). Very broad spectrum. Good residual. Rotation is key to no resistance I feel. 2 actives per season are enough on systemics. I'll probably stick to Quadris/Heritage as the rotation if it doesn't put me in the poor house. Bayleton's a little too similar. Sterol Inhibitors both.

I am cert'ed Basamid but have never needed it here. It's a small patch that I take out of commission every other year. Only disease to date is PM. Cuke beetles & SVB though. Only real weeds are chickweed, smartweed & some chrysanthemum weeds. Easy stuff. You ever use Prowl?

Steve

11/8/2002 7:02:09 PM

[email protected]

Too many characters. I type too quick.

The 16-24-12 is a very slow release (63% total slow N) blend that was unique enough that we patented it :-) The N sources are what's so cool. Up to 6 months release. All recoverable in one growing season. N from Aminoureaformaldehyde, Methylenediurea & Dimethylenetriurea with other N coming in ammoniacal form from MAP. Sulfate of Potash & Magnesium Oxide too. Very slow & steady release with extremely low salt index. I once did a test plot at 1500 lbs/acre to turf. No burn. No surge. Steady growth from May 1 till Nov 1. Incredible. A collegue of mine applied 400 lbs/N/A & no dead plants (test plot only) This will be the first year here for pumpkins with it. Ive used it on tomatoes & peppers. Beets are supposed to really respond well but I haven't tried it there yet either. Last year I used it on potatoes. Very nice! I've got a customer using it with soybean meal on tobacco & he's happy. Real heavy app, long sustained feed, no follow up apps. We'll see. It may be a little too slow for pumpkins.
Time will tell.
I'll till in to 6-8" with Granusol Iron 20%Fe, 8Mn, 5Mg, & 7.5%S @ <250lbs/A. The soil is a bit sandy for the area.

Steve

11/8/2002 7:03:58 PM

Southern Illinois

hello new zealand,next year in my 1,000 pound patch i will only use srategy it is a pre-emergence,and for a post i will use poast herbicide,but poast will only control annual and perenial grass weeds,i am not sure what weed you have but strategy will control just about all the weeds i have around here.

11/8/2002 7:56:19 PM

Southern Illinois

i will e-mail you with the name of the company that carrys strategy and poast,better yet i will call for you monday and find out if there are any dealers in your area that carry the product.

11/8/2002 7:59:12 PM

Hobbiton New Zealand

Thanks HH all the help and info is really appreciated there just dosnt seem to be enough pumpkin addicts in NZ to swap info with.......yet.

11/9/2002 1:01:30 AM

WOW! Thanks for all the great responses and for the info. I will only have a couple of plants this year as my space is very limited....I am in the Pacific Northwest of the US (Washington state) and we just broke ground today...this is the crummiest, rockiest ground I have ever seen and it will need a LOT of improvements between now and spring. Plenty of hard work ahead! I plan on having captan on hand for sure....I will have to weigh and evaluate the others and talk to the local folks. I want to prevent....not treat...if at all possible, but would like to use a less "chemical" approach.
Thanks again!
Michele

11/9/2002 10:15:09 PM