From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Midway City, California

Starting to use UREA for the next four weeks. Cannot find water soulable urea and had to buy a granular type. What methods are used to distribute an even amount? How much is used per plant or square feet?

6/30/2003 10:42:11 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Why nitrogen now? How old are your plants?

7/1/2003 12:01:21 AM

Deer Park, WI

Unless you are starting over from scratch, I'd discourage the use of Urea at this point in the game. Urea is one of the most concentrated forms of Nitrogen available, and is not recommended post pollination.

7/1/2003 8:44:03 AM

Montoursville, PA

Entering the flowering period look for numbers similar to this: 9-18-9. Stay with that type until several fruit are set and then change to something like 2-12-12. In any event keep it slow and easy going. No jolts or spikes in the program is best. If you can maintain the use of kelp and fish very lightly at least once a week. Reduced product per gallon of water twice a week is thought to be better by many growers.

7/1/2003 9:11:10 AM

[email protected]

I can't speak for your need for Nitrogen from Urea. I haven't seen your soil test results nor do I know what's been applied year to date nor the stage in developement you're in. Need all this stuff to make a sound recommendation.

But I'll say this. Sprayable urea is the same stuff that has been prilled smaller either by design during manufacture or in some cases through screening. It can also be milled to a finer specification for use in common soluble complete fertilizerssuch as those produced by Fritt, Doggett, Miracle Grow, Peters, etc.

If you have the patience, the larger sized prills (sgn 220-240) can also be "melted" in water. Just takes longer. Use some hot water & this will go quicker. Starin before use to make sure the process is complete.

Pumpkins need only 2-3 lbs of N per 1000 sq ft per season.

2 Lbs of 46-0-0 Urea times 46% (.46) equals .92 Lbs of Nitrogen.

Therefore assuming your patch has allready recieved 1 Lb of N thus far this year & will "feel" more over the next 10 weeks, then the amount needed between now & then is ONE TENTH OF ONE POUND per week until mid Oct. Since 2 Lbs is 32 OZ divided by 10 weeks to go, you'd use 3.2 OZ per week if no other complete fertilizers are used.

This amount however would be balance equally by week. I believe you would want adjust this down to zero (or nearly so) during the post fruitset period to avoid aborts. So a little more on the front. None in the middle, And about this much during the finish would seem prudent.

Am I full of it or what?

Steve

7/1/2003 3:19:14 PM

Midway City, California

Thanks for your reply's. Basically I am following the info The Book (Giant Pumpkins II) I am only in my 5th week since transplanting. The book calls for 4 weeks (5th to 8th weeks) of Urea as a drench and Fish/Seaweed as a foliar spray. I was hoping for a way to apply the urea through a sprayer rather than Broadcast it.

Steve you were close on the amounts I will be using 1/4 to 3/8 cup per week before going to a balanced 20 - 20 - 20 on the 9th week. John = Water

7/1/2003 8:11:54 PM