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nOVA sCOTIA

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkin,_Nova_Scotia

10/25/2015 3:35:05 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

the place is loaded with humic acid...we just need some weather...lol

10/25/2015 3:50:22 PM

Duxbury,Ma.

Donkin , u are out there ! Love it

10/25/2015 7:28:53 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

Wow! A place of survival. I grew up in Alaska but nothing like this. I was surprised under the Donkin wiki, under notable residents, that you weren't mentioned. I would think a 1811 lb giant pumpkin grown by Carl Graham would be more notable than Shirley Sampson, winner of Canada's worst driver!

10/26/2015 7:35:44 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Ironically I saw a post from BPS today that the biggest Blue Fin Tuna on record was caught this day 1979 (I think it was 1496 pounds) in Nova Scotia.

10/26/2015 9:59:33 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

@ Garden Rebel. Just didn't get around to entering the info for the 1811!

10/27/2015 11:48:07 AM

Torrance, Ca.

Now that was funny Carl!!

10/27/2015 12:21:42 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

i can be at times,can't i Chris..lol

10/27/2015 12:24:22 PM

N.c.

Donkin you may be missing more than just the weather. My guess is that your soil is of the Thom series, but what ever kind of soil you have, almost ALL soils of Cape Bretton Island are starved for organic material. I know you add kelp. I know very little about kelp. However when composting many people use green material and brown material. The green materials like grass clippings and perhaps kelp do not provide a long lasting beneficial effect to the soil. The brown materials like wheat straw or fallen maple leaves due to being composed in large measure of mature cells, do provide longer lasting beneficial components to the soil. They are considered primarily a carbon source but they provide other healthy soil building items as well which the green sources do not. Here is what I do (in the sunny south). I buy 2 bales of wheat straw for every 100 square foot of patch in the fall. I lay the bales out tightly on my patch long sides together the bulk of the cut ends of the straw up. In theory that is string up. I buy calcium nitrate. This is a 13 day process. For the first three days I wet the bales once a day trying to get the bales hydrated. Then on day four I sprinkle 1/4 cup of calcium nitrate on each bale every day. Around day 6 I might add 1/2 cup on each bale. I wet the bales every day only enough to dissolve most or all of the fertilizer. Do not wash the fertilizer out. Day 14 I shake 1/2 of the bales apart across the patch and dig it in as well as possible. Then plant the cover. The other half of the bales I put behind bushes around my house so my wife cannot see them. In the spring when I dig the patch most of the straw is gone except that which is clumped together. I break that up, spread the remaining half of the bales, dig it in and plant another cover crop. Something like that may improve your soil. My soil does drain well now as I have also added a lot of sand to my orange clay. A lot of straw and poorly draining soil may not be so good of an idea.

10/27/2015 12:28:26 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

so you are telling me that i did a really good job with the 1811 Condo ?...ahaaa

10/27/2015 12:56:31 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

just kidding.lol Tell you what i would like to improve on Condo is is more oxygen to the root zone..you know aeration,hydrogen peroxide,or whatever??

10/27/2015 1:22:13 PM

N.c.

Improve your drainage, do not use peat moss and see my last post?

10/27/2015 2:06:50 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

other than sand for drainage what would you recommend ?

10/27/2015 2:19:40 PM

N.c.

Go to one corner of your patch and dig a trench all the way across to another corner one foot wide and 2 feet deep. Put that dirt aside. Then dig another trench adjacent to the first 1 foot wide and two feet deep. Put the dirt from the second trench in the first trench and so on until you reach the far edge. Fill the last trench in with the dirt from the first trench. This worked very well for me (Thanks Pumpking) perhaps not so well for you.

10/27/2015 2:58:52 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

i would like to state that i don't have a serious drainage problem Condo! I was thinking of ways to improve aeration in the soil...oxygen to the root zone?

10/27/2015 3:19:46 PM

N.c.

Air permeability and hydraulic conductivity in soil to me are related in that if you have poor hydraulic conductivity you will probably have poor air permeability as well. Pumpkins need well drained soil.

10/27/2015 3:58:41 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

I added coconut coir and 4cu/ft. bags of perlite.

10/27/2015 5:58:14 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

https://www.facebook.com/TourismCB/videos/vb.138942979494178/823318457723290/?type=2&theater
This is where i love to call home Condo :)

10/27/2015 6:06:49 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

what size patch? How many bags of coconut coir Rebel?

10/27/2015 6:11:48 PM

N.c.

Absolutely beautiful Carl. Stunning. I am sure with all the trees and the ocean it smells fantastic.

10/27/2015 7:50:27 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

Carl, I have a 35' x 55' garden. This was the first year I have used it and the roots love it. You can order it online, but I went down to the local hydroponics store and purchased 20 11 lb. bricks for $12.00 each. They expand to 2 cu/ft each. Unlike peat, it takes years and years to finally decompose. It will take me a few years to finally get the amount I want in my garden. The guy at the store recommended I hydrate it with CalFe Mag. If hydrated with just water it takes Ca out of the soil. It's awesome stuff and will add lots of drainage and air space. Check out info about coir this online. There are also 50lb bags of coir with Mycorrhizae, ect. On my diary, http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=234900
I show hydrating it. The next day it absorbed all the liquid and filled half of my 100 gallon stock tank with this fluffy coir. I had to help a little with a shovel. Then I put it into my garden. Good luck. Rick

10/27/2015 10:40:37 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

Awesome Rick!I have a few hydro stores in the Halifax area!! :)

10/28/2015 6:29:36 AM