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Atlanta, Georgia

To all my fellow growers...
If Nic Welty proposed an experiment here would anyone be willing to free up a patch or two to do some research or testing?
I'm sure that if anyone here got a soil test and made some specific crosses that this data could be used to further the development of AG's more quickly than at the moment.

I have a test patch for 66 plants this year from which I have to sell some pumpkins to make a living too but I'd love some direction on what to plant and which crosses to make.

Any of you in the same boat?
Michel

11/21/2003 2:56:36 AM

colorado

I am trying to do that Michel with 2-4 acres worth next season... Let me know what you had in mind for some experiments, Steve

11/22/2003 5:46:54 PM

Indiana

You guys have no idea what your getting into. Weeds are the worst! Good luck, and get you a small 30-40 horsepower tractor

Tom Beachy

11/22/2003 6:32:26 PM

Sydney, Australia

Tom,
I am finding out what its all about! Should see the weeds that are popping up now, millions of them. Luckily a few 60HP tractors are available! One acre is huge, 85 plants....

Ben

11/23/2003 2:01:13 AM

Deer Park WA

Wow, are you fellas growing under irrigation? I worked my but off with 9 plants and couldn't keep up with all their needs.

11/23/2003 12:38:55 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Tom's right...you have no idea. I grew 17 plants, for crosses only, in a 9000 sq ft plot and it about killed me. Good luck and get your rest now, you're gonna need it.

11/23/2003 1:29:02 PM

That State Up North

It takes a level of insanity generaly only reserved to me to pull it off. If you are interested in learning how to set something up, I am happy to give advice since I have done well with several hundred plants each year. But it takes a lot of work, there is no getting around that.

Nic Welty

11/23/2003 2:52:38 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

My wife and family will gladly vouch for my insanity as will many other AG growers here in Germany.
I have prepared the patches with a tractor and will continue
to run down between the rows with it until the plants are too large. After that it will be more work with the tiller but I have plenty of time. I'm not completely blind doing this as I've maintained about one third of this size garden
by myself and without a tractor before.

I love the gardening work but would love any suggestion as to how to set it up to make it easier. I see that Boily seems to have set up two rows side by side and wants to let the plants grow left and right away from the center of the patch if I'm not mistaken.

I have one good helper aside from my family this year and the biggest problem at the moment is hauling manure but that will go good later when it's frozen enough and I can use a front end loader to do the work.

I have never had any weed problems in my patches except for one patch I had this year that I got kicked out of from using a power pump to irrigate. The noise pissed off the richer neighbors...

There are a few responses here on this thread but nothing resembling an answer to the original question unfortunately.
I was hoping that Nic had some ideas not about the work load but about the genetics and the possibility of getting a bunch of us to conduct mutually beneficial or complimentary experiments.

My diary will be updated often this year and pictures of me, my plants and machinery will be posted as often as possible.
(GGPGA Michel)
Michel

12/11/2003 12:43:59 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

Ben,
We have a lot of wild thistle as weeds here but in general they are not a problem in patches that have been worked for a few years. I have no major weed problems in my main patches but it took three years and a heckuvalot of tilling to get it that way. I till even in winter if I need to and the ground is not too frozen.

12/11/2003 12:48:48 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

Ben,
I was rambling too much and forgot to ask you how long your test patch has been worked and why there are so many weeds if you know...or is it generally so down there?
Michel

12/11/2003 12:50:02 PM