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Pittsburgh, PA

I look at most if not all of the diary entries and notice that a lot of pumpkin patches are full of weeds. I tried keeping my patch as weed free as possible but I'm wondering if it does more harm then good. I understand that removing weeds will help eliminate places for bugs to hide and also helps with air circulation but me tramping around compacting the soil probably is no good either. Not to mention the few leaves I inadvertently broke with a not so carefully placed step.

I would love to hear opinions on this topic. Thanks

1/22/2017 2:37:55 PM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

Jay, weed control should be managed to the best of your ability. Pull, mulch, spray, cut/hoe, snip scissors/long handled pruners, robot, hire out the job, etc....
The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Use boards to minimize compaction, stretch as far as you can, get down and dirty. Spray round-up on a windless day with a long reaching wand accomplishes the job. The long handled pruner works well also.

1/22/2017 5:18:51 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Roundup became my friend a couple years ago. Its on the schedule the first of each month. Like cornhusk stated, not on windy days and I'm extra cautions around all new growth.

I use to spend hours a month weeding by hand.

And I always use 1\2 strength for this application.

1/22/2017 9:48:11 PM

Bethlehem CT

When the weeds are competing for sunlight, water and nutrients they are definitely going to affect your pumpkins growth. Some weeds can be tolerated and it is a judgement call as to if removing them is necessary. However, A neat weedless patch is easier to spray and spot problems in. In the past my pumpkin patch has been about as weedy as they come. One thing I have noticed is that the very best pumpkin growers are sticklers to detail and tend to be very meticulous in their work.

1/23/2017 8:00:55 AM

Upa Creek, MO

I'm in shade after 2pm, and in a humid environment I have to keep weeds at a minimum to prevent disease and increase air flow. I have boards spread out through out the patch where I can reach every square inch if needed. I don't get everything, but best to get the weeds before they are too established (roots).

1/23/2017 8:31:28 AM

Princeville, IL

Solo sprayers have a spray hood you can attach to the end of the wand that gives you about a 6-8 inch wide covered spray area. Not very expensive. Also I use Liberty herbicide instead of roundup. Liberty is not systemic so if it gets on a pumpkin leaf it only kills the area it touched not the whole vine or plant. Down side is you must get good spray coverage on seeds to kill them. I use this on my commercial patch. Up side is some plants resistant to roundup will be killed by Liberty.

1/23/2017 9:01:28 AM

Princeville, IL

Weeds not seeds

1/23/2017 9:02:14 AM

Western ny

i use a weed ag paper to keep weeds down----no hand weeding here------buy it 4-0" wide

1/23/2017 10:54:31 AM

Ireland

This year I tried to keep weeds to a minimum. Who knows, for the amount of biomass they produce they could have to potential to suck up 100lbs over the entire season from one plant. I use walk boards to weed and pull leaves out of the way if I need to go into the plant. Mustard is also good at reducing germination of weed seeds so that's one to think of for a future cover crop.

I have trouble with convolvolus/bindweed. As pulling it leaves rhizomes in the soil my only in season control of it is to spray with round-up.

I will be investing in a hoe for the coming season that's a guarantee!

1/23/2017 12:12:06 PM

Orient, Ohio

The down side to Liberty or Glufosinate is it is not very good on grass species, just something to think about it you have more grass weeds than broadleafs in your patch.

1/23/2017 12:24:10 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

When I grew 5 Acres of pumpkins, we used a product called "Strategy", it was some finicky stuff. Worked awesome but if you got any wind or the air temp went above a certain level it would kill everything including trees, grapes, and roses. I only used it once, as I learned my lesson.

1/23/2017 1:29:39 PM

Wisconsin

I did loop hoe, propane burner and round up, but i think round up works the best. I use generic 41% glyophsate at double strength and I spray a stream not a mist.

1/23/2017 3:07:21 PM

Grittyville, WA

Lots of people against here. I strongly believe that weeds are irrelevant to the plant unless they are competing for sunlight or nutrients or water. If your plant is not as vigorous as the weeds, something is wrong, because the growth of these AG's should be on par with the most vigorous weeds.

Nutrients and water should never be limiting factors for your AG. The small weeds give something for the tendrils to grab!

Unless disease is a problem, make peace with the weeds, cut your work in half and grow two plants? This year I am going to rototill to get rid of some of the disease, pests, and perennial weeds, after that I am going to focus on nutrients and watering, and the AG plant itself rather than weeds. (Treat the patient not the disease.) I'm a novice so my viewpoint is likely to be incorrect :)

Have a great year!

1/23/2017 5:18:19 PM

Grittyville, WA

@ Twinnie I think we call bindweed morning glory in the Pacific Northwest. This and blackberries are the perennials which gave me trouble. And yeah I think 100 lbs sounds about right for the total biomass of a thin carpet of small weeds.

1/23/2017 5:41:45 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Wow thanks for the suggestions. Never liked weeds in the garden anyways so looks like I'll be on my hands and knees again this summer. I'm liking the gly suggestion. I've always used round up around the house and garden fence but was afraid to get it near my plants and soil because I feared it could leech through and get to roots and kill or stunt things. I'll be hitting up tractor supply for a fresh gallon of gly. Thanks again everyone.

1/23/2017 10:37:46 PM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

Hey Jay,
I got a call a couple of summers ago. Grower was concerned because he drenched his stump accidentally with Round-up. I asked if he got any on leaves, he said no, I said might be OK. He grew a 1912 orange beauty!!

1/24/2017 8:18:29 AM

Central Illinois

I've seen this recommended on FB but haven't tried it

WeedGuardPlus is the premier all-natural and 100% biodegradable weed-suppressing mulch. It reduces weeding costs, eliminates removal and disposal costs, and improves water use efficiency. Ideal for commercial/conventional growers, organic growers, greenhouse growers, landscapers, and home gardeners.

https://www.weedguardplus.com/

1/24/2017 10:14:54 AM

Deer Park WA

so... would love to tell you our simple secrete to improve your soil while killing weeds at the same time, but the competition has become so fierce in the PNW I cant....

1/24/2017 10:41:41 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Gads - what does PNW stand for? Pumpkin World?

1/25/2017 9:02:42 AM

aurora, IL

Pulling weeds by hand and planting a cover crop, I like mustard and buckwheat.

1/25/2017 9:17:33 AM

Utah

Jay,
PNW, Pacific North West

1/25/2017 4:02:17 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Haha thanks Gordon

1/25/2017 6:42:39 PM

Wisconsin

If you guys are nervous, if u have a kin go down in the year play around with spray on that plant you'll find its pretty hard to kill it. Don't use roundup brand as some of the new stuff contains another active ingredient besides glyophosate. You can spray on vines, tap roots and stalks no problem and if u get a little on a leaf it's not the end of the world.

1/25/2017 7:02:11 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Roundup might not kill an established plant, but I lost 2 plants at about 6-7 feet long by getting residual Roundup spray on the leaves. Everything turned yellow and the all buds and the main had burnt out tips.

1/25/2017 7:45:06 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I had a plant where the chipmunks ate the young fruit and vine tips so I intently sprayed the plant with glyophosate at one third strength and it didn't effect the weeds but did turn the vine tips yellow for a while. A month later I sprayed it with full strength. It didn't take long to kill all the plant and all the weeds. I did spray under other plants and had a few drops land on the leaves that caused a hole to develop on those leaves.

1/25/2017 9:24:42 PM