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Sydney, Australia

Some bad news here in Australia. Compulsory water restrictions were announced today. We are in a terrible drought with no sign of relief. Sydney's water storage is at 58% and dropping. A 24 hour ban now applies for all sprinklers and irrigation systems. I could risk a steep fine, but feel that is the wrong thing to do. Hand watering is allowed though, but would take a long time to water a 1800 square foot patch, but it might have to be done that way if I am to grow this season. But no misting!!! Would be almost impossible to grow anything decent without misting cooling. Can't be at home all day to stand there with a hose.........

Any idea's on what I should do? Its going to be a tough season! Ben

9/11/2003 5:52:41 AM

Hi Ben,
You might want to try flowing row cover (Remay) over your entire plant to shade it. I have use it for two years now and even with temperatures in the 100°F range (40°C) I had no drooping or wilting of leaves. Some leaves (vines) that grew beyond that "shade structure" were heavily burnt. So, it definitely works and the plant still gets enough sunlight through that Remay.
But you should make sure that the Remay is supported with some greenhouse like structures to make sure that the Remay is not laying directly on the leaves. The sides should also stay open to allow enough air flow.
What do you think of this idea?
Best wishes,
Martin

9/11/2003 6:22:29 AM

KENTUCKY

Very sorry to hear that. I don't know what to say. I wish you the best and hope the weather changes. I enjoyed your journal entries through our winter/early spring. I sure hope the weather changes for you down there!

Mike

9/11/2003 6:24:44 AM

Sydney, Australia

Martin,

Thanks for the idea! I'm sure it would help a lot. I will have to find a supply of Remay. Guess I would look at the weather report and cover plant before going to work if needed. Maybe Remay would be better than misting and getting powder mildew like last year. With all underleaf hand watering it could spell a disease free patch??? Maybe heavy mulching would reduce greatly the amount of watering needed? The season is starting to sound a lot more promising now! Any more idea's???? Thanks.....Ben

9/11/2003 7:36:24 AM

Sydney, Australia

Another question. Should I start my best seeds this year? Or wait for another season when water is available..... Or maybe setup a pump and a small cheap swimming pool for misting purposes only, and truck in some water.... Would be a lot easier if I could use the town water! I'll be growing some still.... Thanks Ben

9/11/2003 7:42:23 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

The bigger the trouble, the stronger you become. I am sure nothing will stop you Ben. Martin Idea sounds pretty good. We use here a lot of shade cloth to do the same. I didn't use it but for the tips, but for you this year it will be a need. There are some stuff stronger than Remay and very appropiated to stop the heat and let the most of the light to pass through. They use to be white too, You can use two 1" pvc pipes joined together to make a big coach like Joel shows in his videos. You should cover your whole garden. Robert Kolb use to cover with thin shade cloth all his patch. He has published good pictures of it. With a little shade over the whole plant you won't need even to spray.
I would also prepare a 1000 gallon tank to fill it up when water be avalaible and use it with a drip line all the time you need it. My 568 (658x950.4) didn't get evaporate cooling nor misting.
Ah, and I would forget the squash. 2-3 pumpkins plants will be enough, and one should be your own 950.4, as it proved to be by far a great heat resistant plant.

Carlos

9/11/2003 7:44:33 AM

Ben and Carlos,
Yes, I didn't get any serious powder mildew in the last two years by not misting and no overhead watering.
Another very good side effect of my Remay covering was the protection against hail. I got hail three times this year without any damage to the plant. Without my cover the season would have been over...
And I would definitely use your best seeds this year, Ben. If you don't use them you will always second guess yourself after the season if you could have done better with them.
And also remember that there will be new, great proven seeds after every season that have done better than older proven seeds. If you safe your best seed this year there might be some better seeds the following year that you want to grow and like that you will never grow the seed that you saved...
Just my opinion of course.
Best wishes,
Martin

9/11/2003 8:04:34 AM

Udine, Italy

Remay is a good idea, build your protective structure high, to avoid strong humidity conditions and to increase solar light diffusion. What about the use of soil conditioners like Terracotem, Watersorb, Horta-sorb ecc. to increase water retention of the soil?
Paolo Ermacora

9/11/2003 9:27:40 AM

[email protected]

Ben,

Try anti-transpirants on the foliage too. Not legal for fruit but leaves are OK.

Ground mulches to conserve applied or accumulated moisture.

Collect roof drained rainwater in barrels. Pump to soakers.

Drip or soakers to maximize the water you can use. Overhead irrigation has the benefit of cooling, but it is far from efficient.

Polymer Gel in the anticipated rootzone area should help too.

Just some thoughts. Best wishes.

Steve

9/11/2003 9:44:21 AM

Nova Scotia

boily i could send my hurricain over there started to rain already and will do so for the next week until she's past.

9/11/2003 10:40:39 AM

Montoursville, PA

Ben consider heavier mulch of a consistancy that breathes. Here we would call it once ground or chipped bark. Look to greenhouse shade supply for more costly but much more durable house shade cloth material. Drip irrigation reduces loss by evaporation very well. Underground drip irrigation is the most efficient and controls to specific areas with valves in the header. Consider diversion of gray water to holding barrels for gravity fed drip irrigation. Bet you could design a simple barrel filter to trap most oils and soaps out of gray water if that concerns you.

9/11/2003 11:26:38 AM

Edmonton, Canada

Hopefully you will get rain in the first month. It shouldn't be too hard to water by hand when the plant is small.

9/11/2003 11:45:25 AM

Oz

boily,,
fill up some cans of water,,,40gal +
i used garbage gans.
the higher they are the more water pressure u will get.
put on poly connectors and add water hose.

tub water and sink water can be used.

keep some cold water in jugs in the house.
when its the hottest,give the main root base a drink.
i used frozen water bottles to drip irrigate one time.
also use cool water in a hand pump mister to cool of the leaves if ya want.
if you get crap from city,etc,, show them your useage.

use lots of peat/soil next to he plant as it grows long.
cover soil around it with straw.
bunch up the straw so it sheds water.

if you have extra straw ,slow burn it like charcoal(cover with dirt while burning,leave oxygen openings)
and spread the ashes around the roots with soil.

water from ac units can be used.
put a drip line into a shaded bucket.
or right to your drip system.

if you get water holding poly,put some in the lawn.
it comes in a powder form.
ask tremor how much per sq. ft..
water you lawn real good when its ok.
then let it slow dry.
use the "extra" water for pumpkins or holding tanks.

9/11/2003 11:51:47 AM

Sloughhouse, CA

Could you use gray water in a misting system?

9/11/2003 8:58:48 PM

[email protected]

Might be little bubbly after a shower or bath!

I'd probably filter then dilute it first. Too much detergent residue can't be great for foliage on a hot day.

Steve

9/11/2003 9:24:16 PM

Hobbiton New Zealand

hey Ben what date do you expect to be planting out into your patch?

9/11/2003 9:29:04 PM

Sydney, Australia

Thanks everyone for all your idea's! All appreciated! It will be easy to hand water for the first few months when they are small I guess. Think I will go with a Remay cover when the days are hot..... and a nice thick layer of mulch over the entire area. Lets see what happens!!! Will be a battle, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. About 4 weeks to planting time, starting to get excited already. Ben

9/12/2003 8:04:55 AM

Sydney, Australia

Also forgot to mention that the water restrictions begin on October 1st........should I water heavily up until that time...which is 2 weeks before plant time? Sounds like an idea to me......

9/12/2003 8:06:43 AM

Knopp, Germany

If they don't start till 1 October, start filling barrells, buckets, anything you can think of while you still can! Best of luck Ben, you got the whole pumpkin growing world behind you.

9/12/2003 8:38:08 AM

Cologne / Germany

Hi Ben, until October 1st it´s still enough time to collect as much water as you can. Do you have the place to store some big water tanks? I would build a reserve big enough for several weeks if your plants get bigger and hand watering becomes hard, then connect it to an underground drip irrigation as Doc said.In combination with shading and mulching that should be the most effective method.
This winter, for myself I´ll work on an underground irrigation system with valves that follows the plant´s vines in the x-mas style. Wasted too much water along the patch where it was not needed this year.
Here´s the link to Netafim, company from Israel (they should know what it means to be short on water;-) with interesting dealers in Australia:
http://www.netafim.com.au
Good luck with your preparations,
Ingo

9/12/2003 8:48:22 AM

So. Maine

Ben, how about a 18 foot swimming pool with a sign that reads " NO SWIMMING " pumpkin water supply only. Al

9/13/2003 12:28:05 AM