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Newville, PA

I am planning on planting pumpkin plants the first weekend in May. I know this may be a little late, but my father says that is when the garden should be planted...(set in his ways). Would I still need hoop houses for my plants?

4/22/2012 3:21:00 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Ryan, plan on starting seeds indoors the first week of may, and setting out in the patch may 15. In your area you should be 99% frost free. With that said, your plants will still benefit from the hoops for about 2 more weeks but they would not be necessary.

4/22/2012 3:32:00 PM

Newville, PA

Okay, thanks for the advice. I am glad I didnt start the seeds already...for some reason I thought they would have to be started sooner than that. Thanks again.

4/22/2012 3:45:52 PM

Colorado

Besides keeping the seedlings from freezing,the greenhouse effect of the hoophouse will get you a much bigger plant at pollinating time

4/22/2012 8:13:40 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

Hail netting open cloches? Amelio the wholr reason for cloches is to warm the soil and make a micro climate that will protect the plant and give it less shock when transplanting as well as keeping it warm so it cam grow. If your weather will allow you to not use a closed greenhoue then so be it but in much of the country especially in southern New England we gotta have a closed greenhouse that can be ventilated......

4/22/2012 10:43:54 PM

Muddy Waters

The perfect hoop house is hail net(aphid screen) by day,cover plastic by nite.The best of both worlds.Of course you have to pull cover every morning before you go to work.

4/23/2012 7:14:17 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

Amelio, your talking way over people head. I can't even undertand wgat your saying.

4/23/2012 8:21:09 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

Amelio, You further insult people here who are serious about growing all while you yourself haven't even grown a single plant. Do the whole pumpkin growing world a favor and play in your dung patch! Its pretty obvious that you don't have any expirience and people are growing tired of listening to your rants and raves...I haven't seen a single post where you actually have given any advice that'S logical. You've made it a habit of disrespecting the heavy hitters of the hobby and you find joy in it. At first I thought you might have some things to add to the hobby but now I see your just a lonely person that likes to get attention the only way he can and thats by name calling and hyjacking posts then flamming them up. I see why people have it out for you. I was the biggest advocate of people ignoring your childish ramblings but after seeing how some rookie growers are taking you seriously, that bothers me. You talk ill of Don Young and Pap Wallace...,these men have given a ton to the hobby and have grown the fruit to prove it all while you sit by your computer screen and name call and dismiss their postings as nonsence....I would tell you to grow up but We all know thats not gonna happen.

4/23/2012 9:48:03 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Did someone say something? Hmmm must have been the wind. I'm sorry I was busy helping a new grower in my geographic location get started.

Ryan just to be clear, yes I have started my seeds already and I have my hoops up too. But I interpreted your post that you are not starting till may and you might not be in to building hoops. Which I think might be a good plan for a newer grower.

4/23/2012 10:16:54 AM

Westford, MA

Hey Milo.

You post SOOO much pliable info. you may be confusing NEW growers.
May be you should try to limit the numeber of responces, you post.

Like Say you limit it to the # of Hunderds in the largest Pumpkin you've grown:
EXAMPLE: 300#----3 posts
400#----4 posts
1000#----10 posts
and so on up the line, you could.......

OOOPS!!! Sorry blancy

4/23/2012 10:35:23 AM

Newville, PA

I would build hoop houses this year, but I am not the best builder (actually I have never built anything) so I would most likely just have something that would look like a garbage heap. I will just see if I can come up with something that would help create some protection/greenhouse affect....we will see how it goes

4/23/2012 11:12:09 AM

Westford, MA

RK
Set of 2 x 4' re-bars pounded in at 45-60 degree angle.
The sets of Bars are angled toward each other.
I space 4 sets 2' apart


3/4" PVC tubing 8-10" long. (can get rolls at HD)
slide the tubing over the sets of rebars to form the ribs.
I tie wrap a length of the PVC to the top center of the ribs and into a Re-bar at the ONE end of the tunnel of ribs.
The other end of the tunnel is for the door.

I use heavy duty clips on each rib, to hold 4mil clear plastic to the pvc and rebars.

open ends and/or sides during day to regulete heat.

4/23/2012 11:38:32 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

Klancy is right on the money. Hoophouses are easy to build and easy to take apart. They also are able to really seal off the plant from the elements and the materials are pretty cheap. I have a 5 gallon bucket full of clamps that ive been useing for years. Also you can also use a similar set up for shading your pumpkin. They work. I STORE THE pvc in a certain part of the yard and have been using the same pvc and clamps for years. I buy plastic every year. I normally use 4 mil plastic. It usually works good.

4/23/2012 11:58:14 AM

Westford, MA

Sorry meant to say PVC 8-10' long,(depends on width of tunnel you want.
I agree w/Kenny. Rebars, PVC tubing, and Bucket of clamps, last forever.
Only new plastic every year.

I'm going to try small tunnels out with my lead vines, to shade the tender new leaves.

Hey Milo, I said the # of hundreds in the BIGGEST FRUIT, you've grown.

NOT the # of seedlings you've successfully started.

BUT...if that's all you got!?!?
I guess it's OK.

Here on BP,We like to give Rookie growers like yourself the benefit of our doubt.

How many more seedlings are you going to post??
I've got 6 more posts on the "Hundred Rule".

blancy

4/23/2012 3:23:52 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

one per hundred is too few...how about 1 per pound...that should do it

4/23/2012 6:21:09 PM