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Garden State Pumpkins

ok so we paid our dues with three years fallow after something got into the patch. We're about to get it ready for next year and hopefully we solved the problem. If you had the chance to totally redo your patch. What would be the most important things to add obviously not going to be indoors but can add alot from the ground up. Thanks for any help and advice.
Chuck

7/19/2020 12:41:17 PM

South Dakota

Mighty Mustard cover crop with radishes. Mow into small pieces and Work it in before it heads out, then water. This bio-fumigates the soil to give you a good place to start with the mycos/micros and other amendments. Get a soil test now to see were you need to be spending your time and money. Soil test is really the first step.

7/19/2020 1:53:02 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Just checking that I have this right. From what I read the mustard cover crop has to be grown high enough and then mowed and buried the same day for it's benefit. lots of amendments to put in and a lot of excavating to do including yards of compost to turn in. should I wait till all the soil amendments go in for soil test? thanks for your help!

7/19/2020 7:13:20 PM

South Dakota

Your call, but I would get the soil test just to know that the amendments I am paying for are really needed. Otherwise you are just guessing and hoping you guessed right.

7/19/2020 7:34:50 PM

Western NY

What have you been growing there the last 3 years, lawn? Also, how big is the patch?

7/19/2020 7:59:05 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Try to make sure you have nice, loose soil. Tillage with a fork or broad fork will loosen soil deep without chopping up your worms. Perlite is a good product to add to keep the soil loose.

Of course, a good soil test is a must. And you have plenty of time for a mustard or radish cover crop. If you add compost, see if you can find some with an analysis of the nutrients so you can keep things in balance.

Nitrogen is best applied in the spring, unless you have a cover crop to keep it from leaching out.Epsom salt is another nutrient that can have some leaching. Other nutrients could be added any time. Maybe add what the test indicated and then test again in the spring to make sure it is still where you want it.

7/19/2020 8:32:50 PM

bb gun , and big buck brings back memory

7/19/2020 9:33:18 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Thanks guys...Really rusty on Big Pumpkins so I'll try and upload a picture today. Andy it has been basically abandoned for three years to get rid of our little friends in the soil so weeds and invading lawn. There is plenty of fenced in room. probably 120X50 so the deer and woodchuck will be fine. going to backhoe the whole thing first to get to what was a pretty pumped up soil prior to the disease. sadly will need to fill with compost to get the soil back to loose. I would like to raise it above grade and make sure of its drainage etc.

7/20/2020 8:31:58 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

yeah Don...that's was me still have the picture... Just a doe!!!
LMAO

7/20/2020 8:33:10 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

getting bperror on download of pictures will keep trying.

7/20/2020 8:56:57 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I had to download Firefox browser to post pictures. Chrome had nor worked for several years. Then they changed Edge, basically a clone of chrome and it quit working.

7/20/2020 9:18:50 AM