Re: planting acreage
- To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: planting acreage
- From: P*@aol.com
- Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 23:08:18 EST
In a message dated 2/9/99 10:42:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, merryboy@dnet.net
writes:
<< Have a ? for you guys that grow pumpkins for a living "or to help out on
it". How do you plant your seeds, by hand or can you use a planter. I
plan on on planting about 4 acres this year and have a corn planter but
don't know if you can get plates for pumpkins. Any help would be
appricated.
Thanks, Mark
-------------- >>
Mark,
Many growers use a corn planter, but have problems with uneven coverage.
Especially in heavy soil. Planting 4 acres is no big deal with a few
people...just a few hours. Whatever you do, don't listen to the seed companies
on how close to plant your seeds.....they like to sell seeds. Roger Rupp,
owner of Rupp seeds, is a good guy and will give you the straight stuff on
seed spacing. It depends on the variety. The big varieties like Gold Rush and
Howden do MUCH BETTER when you let them stretch out and not be crawling all
over each other like a jungle. Bush or semi-bush varieties, you can close up
the spacing. I will probably go with at least 15 foot spacing on the rows with
my big stuff...maybe more. Even with semi bush, you want to allow enough room
to get cultivating equipment between rows.....herbicides that are labeled for
pumpkin vary in efficacy. I wouldn't go any closer than 10 foot row spacing,
even with the small varieties...maybe 2 to 3 feet apart in the rows. You get
much closer than 10 feet and you will have fun trying to get even a small
tractor in there come july. Semi-bush plants actually have vines that crawl.
pumkinguy
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