RE: 530 Gancarz 1989 root depth

I have pulled up roots over two feet in length at the main trunk of the
plant and up to 18" from the vines.  Last year in the area where I made my
planting mound I first dug down to a depth of about two feet and at the very
bottom shoveled in a couple wheelbarrow loads of comosted manure and for
good measure scattered in a handful of calcium nitrate and kelp meal.  I
also mixed some of this in with the soil that I filled the hole back in with
and then planted in the mound I made.  I made sure to not compact this soil
and it really made a difference.  I had buried a coiled soaker hose in the
hole and the roots went down to reach the moisture and the manure.  I'm not
sure what the maximum limit is for root growth but I feel they may grow as
long as they need to get to the nutrients they need so long as the soil
isn't too dense.  These roots appeared to go straight down with some
branching.  The roots that grew from the vines did not go down as deep and
turned to parralel the soil surface.  Everything about this years pumpkin
plants were better developed, roots, leaves, vines, fruit, and I feel it all
starts with the way the soil was prepared.  The roots did not seem to
penetrate beyond the depth that the patch was tilled.  So if you double the
depth from 8" to 16" I don't think you double your area unless you double
the depth you till to.  If they can penetrate the soil they seem to keep
going down.  If there is too much resistance from dense soil they will seek
thier nutrients on another plane.  If water is shallow and nutrients are
shallow there is no need to go deep.  If the nutrients are deep and water is
deep the roots will seek them out if they can.  Just my two cents worth.

Chris Michalec,
Covington, WA

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Vickie Brock [SMTP:brocfarm@pacific.net]
> Sent:	Thursday, December 03, 1998 7:44 PM
> To:	pumpkins@mallorn.com
> Subject:	Re: 530 Gancarz   1989
> 
> The debate of the depth of the root system of an AG......is mixed at
> best........sure there has been success  at all levels .....some dig
> holes...... some don't..........some claim the roots don't go down that
> far while others claim they do.................so the question is
> ,,,,,,,can the square footage be doubled if the depth is
> doubled...............if you have a plane that is 700 sq ft........by 8
> inches deep is that plane doubled if you go 16 inches deep.....roots vs
> foilage.......these are the things a pumpkin grower thinks of during the
> off season.............i n my study  I have found roots that do hit this
> level..........of 18 inches...................any observation or thought
> s ,,,,,welcome,,,,,,brock
> 
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