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New Bremen, Ohio

OK, I'm reflecting what I would do different with this year's growing pumpkins and what would I change and then of course learn from my mistakes.

#1 - Incorporate more organic matter in the soil
(Worked very hard with my soil in the fall, but still need more organic matter)

#2 - Build a hothouse for all of my plants.
(Thought I could get by with my own small shelters, but the plants do not like the mid-thirties during the 1st week of June. This threw me behind 2 weeks.)

#3 - Vine position for my fruit
(Thought I had enough slack for my fruit, but as it grew I had to pull back the fruit 3 times)

#4 - Stem stress
(Need to improve fruit position. Don't believe my fruit was level from blossom end to stem correctly.)

#5 - Vine Pattern
(Tried flag technique for 3 plants and 1 plant on the christmas tree pattern. Need to disipline myself on where the vines need to go exactly.)

#6 - Daily tracking
(Sorry, but I got lazy. Need to be displine also and write everything I do everyday, no matter if I am tired after spending 3 hours in the patch)

#7 - Nematodes
(Need to buy 10 tillion nematodes before planting)

Disreguard Nematodes. I like the name thou.

"Vertigo"

8/29/2003 8:46:30 PM

Oz

if you want i found lots of sources for nematodes,,,,its a web page.ill post it.
"agri-feed" is around $30 for 25 mil.

8/29/2003 9:08:03 PM

I have a big list of improvements to make for next year but it's at home and I'm at COLLEGE now! But maybe I'll post it when I go home

8/29/2003 9:25:36 PM

Oh I thought I'd just put a quick note in too...don't make pumpkin growing so stressful, and don't worry so much about getting a big one that it's not fun anymore...

8/29/2003 9:26:57 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

change...............seed

8/29/2003 10:47:56 PM

Manchester, N.h.

Don't talk to my pumpkin's so much, I think I bored them to DEATH. O.K. maybe not to death but I think it stunted their growth......Flora

8/29/2003 11:40:55 PM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

That is a good one Flora.
I will buy a new CD player and more Brahms concerts just for the patch (seriously). But I don't think to change many things in the way to grow, just I will try to keep weeds out of the patch longer. I did it fine until August, but during this month it was much harder to get, over all, from the covering vines earth, where you can make more damage than good. Don't know how, but I will look for a way.
Other thing I would like to change is the width of my paths in the patch. I want them to exist! I planned to let 2 feet between the plants ends, but at the end I didn't and they touch one each other on the middle and to the breakwind at the edges...........Carlos

8/30/2003 2:06:28 AM

Ljubljana, Slovenia

I will not let the virus near my plants... so no weed and no insect will survive in the vicinity.
I will be more careful with the nitrogen (in case I still catch a virus).
The misting system will be improved together with fungicide program.
And finally I hope for more luck!
Jernej

… and as flora said: the pumpkins may need some intimacy so I will let them their moments of solitude.

8/30/2003 7:05:50 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

in seriousness....

*correct soil deficiencies
*plant earlier
*use early season cloches/tunnels

8/30/2003 7:54:54 AM

Oz

lolololololo,,,southern....would ya like a fungi sammich??
those are great,,,
and i would add totally screen your patch!

8/30/2003 9:19:57 AM

Il

1 More Milk
2 Shade Cloth
4 Misters
5 More Seaweed and Ferts
6 More Calcium
7 Much better care
8 Less Plants

8/30/2003 9:39:30 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Three plants for sure. Will never plant five plants ever again. Not enough time to take care of five plants. Plus five plants take up so much room you have to do alot of pruning. Lots of cow manure this fall instead of in the spring. Will try taking the first set of secondarys off instead of leaving them on.

8/30/2003 9:51:48 AM

Manchester, N.h.

You got it southern. The first two on your list is exactly what I plan on doing for mine next year......Flora. Oh ya and make a wind breaker ahead of time. (before the wind).....Flora

8/30/2003 9:54:54 AM

Knopp, Germany

1- More manure and compost
2- Bury ALL vines, not just some
3- Put more boards down to walk on
4- TRY to get the weeds early
5- Touch Carlos on the hand at the European Weighoff for good luck

8/30/2003 10:10:07 AM

[email protected]

In no particular order.

1.) One plant - maybe two - NOT three.
2.) Better temperature management for "houses". Large & small.
3.) Remove every other secondary. ALL THE TIME.
4.) Begin starting seeds 4-15, 4-22, 4-29. Toss those not needed.
5.) Less Organic Matter (we're at 20.4%)
6.) MAYBE grow one plant completely under plastic.
7.) Air conditioner for main greenhouse. 5000 BTU = $80@Walmart.
8.) More SoilMaster for aeration & drainage. It helped a lot.
9.) Cut down all offending trees with or without my regular tree man.
10.) BASAMID because though I am well disciplined, I still hate weeding.
11.) Steal Capt. Jim's seed starting container idea. Awesome.

Steve

8/30/2003 10:31:21 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

Hey Brat....try 38 pumpkins.
Major pain, won't do that again.

Got lots-o-seed, good crosses too.
Ya'll let me know if you want some this Fall....

8/30/2003 11:15:16 AM

Gloucester, MA

Quit work.

8/30/2003 12:09:01 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

After two years in a row not being able to break my PB of 184 lbs. This is what I plan to change.

1. Fewer plants.
2. Use of different systemics
3. Spray fungicides earlier and more often(too much and too frequent rain this year!)
4. Correct my pH and nitrogen level.
5. Add more Organic material.
6. Change my handle from "Bantam" to "Giant" hmmmm?

8/30/2003 1:32:17 PM

Western Pa.

Next year I won't grow giant pumpkins.

8/30/2003 2:23:25 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Jim Kilbert NOT growing pumpkins next year? Heck, I'm growing your 634 and 440 this year......

That just ain't right.

8/30/2003 2:59:29 PM

Massillon, Ohio

kilr's joking i hope ??!!

i cant believe no one mentioned this but maybe pray for better weather?? i know its not 100% the weather's fault, but its a high percent for a lot of us i'm sure. it was a wacky year.
i'm giving each plant less sq footage next yr. i've seen proof that small plants still grow big pumpkins, so why waste my time weeding and burying and spraying and watering all that area if its not needed.

8/30/2003 3:47:00 PM

Choctaw, OK

I am going to try and change the WEATHER!!! for next year. That was by biggest problem this year. And also will get a soil test and tissue tests of my pumpkins and leaves to find out if I have any nutrient problems.

casey

8/30/2003 6:08:29 PM

[email protected]

The only things we should concern ourselves with are those that we can change. The weather isn't one of them. Unless we grow indoors. And I'm considering it.

Come on Kilr', to give up now is to accept defeat. That's not how we landed at the top of the food chain my friend. It takes brains, brawn, & bravery to get where we are. It takes more to stay here. It will take lot's more to advance. Consider this year a lesson. Admire what you did do in the face of a strong adversary. Value the lessons learned, then move forward. Better armed than before.

Steve

8/30/2003 6:15:16 PM

Sparta, NC

I have learned alot this year. With it being my first, I learned alot the hard way. 1. add more manure then add some more 2. not start too early 3. use systemic insecticides and fungicides 4. better vine care, bury more vine 5. better early protection 6. Hey I did have good weed control this year I guess thats something I can hope to repeat

8/30/2003 6:29:30 PM

Woodburn, Indiana

one word, uranium.

8/30/2003 7:06:24 PM

Joliet, IL

systemic insecticides(merit). get my soil tested in both
the existing primary patch and the grass area that i will till this fall. make ammendments to both patches and create
one big patch. possibly grow 4 plants next year because i
would like to try growing one plant from one of my smaller
pumpkins(950.4 boyton pollinated with the 1007 brown).
i will till in as many leaves as i can before the winter
frost and also add plenty of aged manure. i will raise my
planting areas a little higher and concentrate on good drainage. i will build hoop houses this winter that will
also be able to convert into a pumpkin shade covering
similar to don Q's pumpkin shades. also, i will till in insecticides for svb and other grubs and pupae in the
fall and spring at tremor's advice and ratios, and also
some herbicides that will kill some of the chick weed seeds,
which got out way of control. winter rye or what ever cover
crop best for my growing are will be planted.
now i will bookmark this post and see how successful i am
at keeping my word.

8/30/2003 9:28:49 PM

Wood River, Nebraska

1) more organic matter
2) better systemic pesticide ("Admire", labeled for use on other cucurbits in the garden)
3) pre-emergence herbicide for late weed (speedwell)control. Steve what do you recommend??? Is Curbit good??
4)shade cloth!! no more sunburnt leaves!!
5)no more herbicide injury!! I'm not going to alow my neighbor to spray his lawn for broadleaf control. I'll be doing that for him.
stewee

8/31/2003 6:56:24 PM

[email protected]

Stewee, All of the DNA herbicides are known to root prune at least a little. So does Curbit but not as bad. The loss in yield is considered acceptable in field production because to not treat equals greater losses from weed competition & insect pest harborage.

Thus I'm really cheating. My "new half patch" is very weedy. The old section not so bad. But the whole things getting a dose of Basamid as soon as I'm done this year. So no weeds next year & no herbicide residue to deal with.

It's worth considering if weeds are that bad.

Steve

8/31/2003 7:48:46 PM

Whidbey Island

Ny son told me not to put "all my pumpkins in one basket" so to speak, so I had a second vine at my father-in-law's place. What work! I drove by every morning and evening, spent hours over there and for what...two rotted fruit and I'm back to my single vine at home. Next year I will either go with one vine at home or take over a portion of my wife's veggie garden (unused this year, I might add) for a second vine. No more driving over to Bob's place.

9/1/2003 12:47:20 AM