Re: pumpkins DIGEST V1 #755
- Subject: Re: pumpkins DIGEST V1 #755
- From: l*@aol.com
- Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:46:29 -0400 (EDT)
I cannot believe you guys are still here. This was the original and only site
for pumpkins when I first started growing them. I have read the postings here
and they are still great. This site definately has its place. It seems
friendly here. Keep it up guys. Marv Meisner
-----Original Message-----
From: pumpkins DIGEST <pumpkins-owner@hort.net>
To: pumpkins-digest <pumpkins-digest@hort.net>
Sent: Sun, Apr 29, 2012 4:02 am
Subject: pumpkins DIGEST V1 #755
umpkins DIGEST Sunday, April 29 2012 Volume 01 : Number 755
In this issue:
Re: seedling mounds
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:30:12 -0700 (PDT)
rom: Debbie Runkle <yorunk13@att.net>
ubject: Re: seedling mounds
I can only go down about 10" before I hit clay. What kind of fertilizer?
_______________________________
rom: George & Carolyn Heyne <gheyne@millcomm.com>
o: pumpkins@hort.net
ent: Fri, April 27, 2012 2:41:50 PM
ubject: Re: seedling mounds
Debbie,
For each of my pumpkin plants, I dig a hole about 20-22 inches deep with a
three
foot diameter. I have no rocks in my soil, so it is a fairly easy dig. The
hole
s filled with soil taken out, compost, fertilizer, peat, mole repellant,
ycorrhizal fungi, etc. There is a very slight mound when the hole is
completely
filled which does not allow water to stand around the stump.
Throughout the growing season, water containing fish/seaweed, BiotaMax,
calcium,
etc is poured around the stump. Since the soil is loose and with the slight
lope, the water mixture quickly drains down through the soil.. I have had no
roblems with the stump rotting. Hope that helps.
George Heyne
ochester, MN
----- Original Message ----- From: "Debbie Runkle" <yorunk13@att.net>
o: <pumpkins@hort.net>
ent: Friday, April 27, 2012 8:17 AM
ubject: Re: seedling mounds
Do you water around the mound during the season? Also, do you use anything
special for your mounds, i.e. compost, etc.
________________________________
From: George & Carolyn Heyne <gheyne@millcomm.com>
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Sent: Thu, April 26, 2012 4:27:05 PM
Subject: Re: seedling mounds
Debbie,
I have just a very small mound for my pumpkin plants. There is just enough
slope
so that water will not stand around the base of the plant.
George Heyne
----- Original Message ----- From: "Debbie Runkle" <yorunk13@att.net>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2012 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: seedling mounds
> uh, I am still unclear the size of the mound (diameter and height). It
can't
> be
> too large since I will be placing a 8'Lx6'W greenhouse over it. Since I
lost
> all of my pumpkins last year (one was barely maturing when it rotted) I'm a
> little paranoid this year.
>
> Debbie
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: "dbhaskaran@aol.com" <dbhaskaran@aol.com>
> To: pumpkins@hort.net
> Sent: Wed, April 25, 2012 10:15:04 PM
> Subject: Re: seedling mounds
>
> Here is something I wrote a bit ago and have continued to update...later
here
> is a section on the "pits" or Mounds....
> Davebs Early Season Work!
>
> Ah, the precious seeds:
> The watermelons are first up and I start them late March. To start the
eeds,
> I place them in warm damp folded napkins in zip lock bags that are labeled
> with the genetics. I put the zip lock bags into my germination chamber.
This
> chamber is a 40 qt Coleman cooler. I place into the cooler a heating mat
that
> is controlled by a digital temp controller and set it for 90 degrees. I
also
> put 2b of Styrofoam on the mat, so when I have the seeds resting on that
> (and the temp probe) it is pretty even heat. The key is 90 deg and
table..if
> colder they might not germinateb&they are very fussyb&.not like pumpkins.
>
> In my basement, I have my grow lights set up (4 lights across). Under the
> lights, I have a flat with an 8b dome and 4b clay pots ready to go (small
> greenhouse). I have a heat mat under the flat and with the warmth from
the
> lights keep it at about 80-85 degrees. I do not turn the lights off.
> However, I do open up the dome (has vents) to keep the humidity down a
> bitb&otherwise the plants will rot fast.
>
> The seeds are checked and once sprouted, are moved down to the 4b clay
pots
> and are tagged for genetics. Normally about 1-3 days to sprout. Once they
> break ground...another 2-4 daysb&I try to remove the dome and get them
> bdryb again. The dome is used with the heat mat to keep the temp warm
> until the seedlings are out of the ground. I try to keep the grow lights
> about 3b off the plant. Once they have formed a true leaf (3rd one), I
> transplant them to a 1 gallon Kempbs ice cream bucket. This bucket has been
> turned over and the bottom cut off and the lid is now the base(making into
a
> big pot). This makes for easy transplanting to the garden, as I just pop
the
> lid and it slides into the hole in the garden without bothering the roots.
> (Note: This is a George Heyne trick.) I try to get 1-2 ft vine before
> transplanting to the garden.
>
> For pumpkins, I apply the same process, except for a few changes. Temp is
> lowerb&80-90 degrees. I start them around April 15th. They will also
sprout
> faster, 30-48 hrs. I move the sprouted seeds to 6b clay pots and then will
> transfer them to the garden by end of April, as they grow fast! So they
just
> stay a few days in the pots (5-7 days).
>
> I use a premium seed starter bag and mix it with a normal potting soil bag
nd
> then also add some Mychro rhizza (BIO ENDO GROW from Hollandbs web site:
> http://www.hollandsgiants.com/).
>
>
> Ah, the painful pits:
> I have prepared the garden with cow manure and compost piles for each of my
5
> bpitsb.
> Plus in 2012, Ibll try to add black soil to lower my Organic %. (no
> compost)
> This was done in the fall and all unloaded by handJ. I first mark off a 10
t
> diameter circle and then start shoveling and keeping the soil clear of the
> holeb&so maybe 3 feet between the circle and the old dirt. This is used as
a
> way to bring in the manure and compost with a big wheelbarrow. You will
also
> need to leave some gaps for the wheelbarrow to access the bpitb. Once I
> have dug it out, around 2ft deepb&about 2-3 hours of digging per hole. I
> refill the hole back with a mixture of compost and manure and also rototill
t
> as I go. I also add these items:
> 65 lbs Humates
> 65 lbs Kelp
> 65 lbs Calphos
> 25 lbs Gypsum
> 80 lbs Worm Casting
> 03 lbs Mychro rhizza
> 65 lbs Lime
> 1/3 bag of peat
> This also gets tilled in.
>
> Now, I put a 6 B= ft metal post right in the middle of the circle. This
will
> be used later to know where the 2 stumps are (2 plants on each side of the
> post are grown via the Xmas tree method). I also use the post to hang
> sprinklers and run a hose up it and out of the garden for access, later in
he
> year. Ibll also drop some boards perpendicular to the post and stumpsb&as
> an access walk to the stumps.
>
> Next, I put in my 40 ft heating cables in a circle around the postb&about
6-9
> inches further out each time. I put the plug into a Kemps ice-cream bucket
o
> protect it from rain and also to run a power cord to it. I put small holes
n
> the side for the cords and one in bottom for drainage. I place a rock
inside,
> to keep it anchored and one on top of the lid.
>
> The final touch is to build up an 8b mound of soil around where the plant
> will go (small pit) and use 4x4s cut to lengths that go on top of the
mound
> area to raise it higher so that I can put a window panel on top (cheap
> greenhouse)b&since these plants go out before end the Aprilb&they need to
be
> able to handle some very cold nights plus snow. Once they outgrow this, I
ut
> a remay over them with 9 gauge wire. I will create a series of loops down
he
> path the main vine will go later for main vine (bgolden pipeb)
> protection.
>
> Note: I also put in 2 6b pots into the soil as if the plants were there so
> when I do bring out the plantsb&I just pull the pot and put the potted
plant
> right there.
>
> As you can see for 10 plants/5 holesb&this takes a lot of hoursb&.and this
> is just for the pumpkins! I do a lot less for the watermelon, but a
similar
> pattern.
>
> I hope this helps!
> David Bhaskaran
> 1355 lbs is my biggest ever grown pumpkin in 2009.
> 195 lbs is my biggest ever watermelon in 2007.
> 194.5 lbs in 2010
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan R. Laginess <alaginess@bop.gov>
> To: pumpkin <pumpkins@hort.net>
> Sent: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 9:20 pm
> Subject: Re: seedling mounds
>
>
> You may want to take a look at www.bigpumpkins.com There is a lot of
> nfo on the site for you to use. I would get some bags of compost and
> ake you mounds with that and regular garden soil. Mix in some micro for
> etter root growth.
>>>> Debbie Runkle <yorunk13@att.net> 4/25/2012 9:00 PM >>>
> hat type of soil/compost do I need for my planting mounds? Also, how
> arge
> hould they be?
> Is it better to start your seedlings in peat pots rather than regular
> ots?
> Debbie
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