From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Dillonvale, Ohio

And what are you going to do different?
I'm going to start my seeds a little earlier and I'm going to use soil heating cables on 2 plants. I also planted mustard and will be amending this fall as well as in the spring. I am not growing a regular garden next year either so my concentration will be exclusively on pumpkins. The thing I think I'm most excited for is my 10 year old son wants to grow a giant. He even has his seeds already

10/9/2017 11:42:18 AM

Grittyville, WA

Comparing to last year though I think I lost a lot of weight and some plant growth by not getting them rooted very well along the main. Good luck i think your plan is one that has worked for many growers.

What do you think about burying some hay bales under where the plants will go? To heat the soil... they might get up to 80+ degrees as they decompose for a few weeks and might provide better drainage and some nutrients too?

10/9/2017 1:55:44 PM

Grittyville, WA

The roots need oxygen maybe this would only work if the soil was piled very loosely

10/9/2017 2:01:08 PM

Hanson Ma

Yes I am. I will also be using heating cables and will be more diligent with fungicides, weeding and plant maintenance.

10/9/2017 2:25:25 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

Hay is one of the amendments I'm adding this fall. I should have my soil text results today or tomorrow, I will do the major amendments now and fine tune for each plant with another test in the spring

10/9/2017 3:32:44 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Cover crop started two weeks ago and the mustard is already an inch tall. Here we go 2018!!

10/9/2017 3:55:25 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Fewer plants so each one gets more attention. A few plots planted to mustard, and then maybe solarized to fight disease. Extreme chemical warfare on bugs. After seeing today's results at Half Moon Bay, I'm going to get some of Holland's micorrhizae to go along with the WOW Pumpkin Pro. Might as well cover all the bases.

10/9/2017 6:13:38 PM

Deer Park WA

One left to weigh at the Terminator in a couple of weeks if we can hold on to it. Will continue with the Holland advanced fert schedule but do a better job with vine management next year.

10/10/2017 12:39:28 AM

Grittyville, WA

Maybe you can find straw or cheap alfalfa or some other material without weed seeds...

I'm already starting 2018... 30 bales of free hay rotting in a big pile. Looking forward to burning all the weeds off with glyphosate really the annual weeds have not been a problem for me even without glyphosate... Lots more trouble with the perennial weeds than the annuals.

10/10/2017 4:06:57 AM

Dillonvale, Ohio

The hay I'm getting will more than likely be free, my uncle puts hay up. And I know there are weeds in it, but nothing like others. I also don't think straw will do the same thing as hay

10/10/2017 6:41:35 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

You guys adding hay must like to weed. Get the hay after it is processed, through that 4 stomached manure making machine, and has been composted. Or you could add a cover crop

10/10/2017 7:43:00 AM

Dillonvale, Ohio

That 4 stomached manure making machine doesn't get rid of the weeds and I need OM. I just got my test results and I'm at 1.2% OM. I could buy alfalfa cubes, but really don't have the money to buy what I need

10/10/2017 8:52:41 AM

Weatherman

One year seeds, seven years weeds.

10/10/2017 9:14:32 AM

Grittyville, WA

Wolf look for some spoiled or spilled alfalfa from a local farm or feedlot it will be a lot cheaper so you can afford more and the nutrients will still be there...

10/10/2017 12:15:24 PM

Ontario, Canada

After over 25 years of chasing big pumpkins, Jane & I will be taking 2018 off to enjoy a nice trip & give our soil some well deserved rest. We might still grow some tomatoes, maybe a FP or try the GVGO Veggie of the year, heavy cucumbers, but no pumpkins. Watch out in 2019 though. LOL.

10/10/2017 1:03:42 PM

Topsfield, MA

Hell yea! I'm pumped!

10/10/2017 2:34:28 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

Glenomkins, I may be able to do that. The cost of hay is not the issue, it's the cost of cubes. I may get a round bale and start the compost process to kill the weeds and do half of the cubes now and the other half in the spring.

10/10/2017 4:39:07 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

Then I'll have the round bale for fall of 2018

10/10/2017 4:39:28 PM