RE: Slow grower
- Subject: RE: Slow grower
- From: &* H* <s*@insmgt.com>
- Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:02:16 -0400
Dave has it right. It sounds like you have some very hot and dry weather. Is
the water getting a chance to soak to root level before evaporating? The
vines I have left are a striking comparison with each other. The best fruit
I have is on a vine that has had a chance to root in bare soil. All of the
vines on that plant are rootbound. The others are spreading on pasture and
not rooting at all. Their fruits are half the size.
Jepsen is correct also. Rates are determinate.
I think your water/nutrients are not soaking. Try early AM watering.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pumpkins@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf Of
Dave Squires
Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2009 1:23 PM
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Subject: Re: Slow grower
Jim wrote:
> Hmmm.
>
> My subject title is in reference to the pumpkin, not me. Although, it
could
> describe both of us.
>
> My daily measurements are giving me an estimated growth of about 5 to 6
> pounds. Yawn.
>
> I'm fertilizing it, watering it and generally doing all I can, but the
daily
> growwth has slowed from a peak of about 14 pounds a day to just about 5.
> Everything looks healthy. The vines look great. The leaves look strong.
> All looks perfect except that the dang pumpkin is just not growing very
> quickly. My fertilizer has been a 0-10-10 which I've been giving every
week
> or more often. The whole plant also gets a miracle grow "nursery formula"
> every few weeks or so.
>
> Any thoughs on what might make this pumpkin any happier?
>
Lots of roots and water. Bury side vines so they root faster. Growth
is proportional to
water uptake. Water uptake is proportional to how many roots the entire
plant has.
The more roots the plant has the more water it can suck up in a given day.
A pumpkin growth rate is dependent entirely on the amount of water it
can get into the
pumpkin each day. The pumpkin weight is 98% water. Gotta have as many
roots as
possible.
DRS
>
> JIM
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