Re: Addition of sand to improve soil

John P.
    I am quite aware of the benefits of adding organic matter to soil. I added
about 18 yards of composted cow manure to one of my patches today. If one is
serious about growing giant pumpkins (and I make another assumption that the
people on this list are serious growers or would like to be) they must
optimize every factor that affects the growth of their pumpkin. Do you think
that clay with some organic matter in it, is an ideal growing media? I don't. 
     You fault me for making assumptions and guesses. You have also made some
assumptions. You are correct in estimating that a 2 to 3" addition of coarse
sand @ normal tiller depth will add 20 to 30% sand to the mix. You are also
assuming that this hypothetical gardener has 100% clay in his garden. You are
an experienced Agronomy major. How many garden soils have you analyzed that
contain 100% clay? If a gardener has 100% clay and he or she is serious about
growing World Class pumpkins, they'd better sell their house, move the patch
or modify their growing media to an optimum condition. We are not talking
about casual gardeners here. So your assumption that a heavy soil contains
100% clay is quite a guess too, isn't it? I said that a 2 to 3 inch addition
of coarse sand would be a meaningful addition. Is it expensive? Yes. It can
run into a few hundred dollars or more, depending on the size of the patch.
Growing World Class pumpkins for competition is not for the faint of heart.
   O.K. Let's go back and do this by the book. I'm not totally blameless here.
Take a sample of the soil and get a sieve analysis done at a soil lab. This
will tell you how much clay, silt and sand you have. The soil scientists doing
the test will be happy to make a recommendation if you show  them the soil
ammendments you have available. I had to haul in material from out of state to
get what I wanted. World Class pumpkins have been grown on a wide variety of
soil types, but never to my knowledge on 100% clay. In 1996 I grew a 729 pound
pumpkin on pure coarse sand. No weeds, no soil compaction and extensive
fertigation. You know, I've been on this list for quite a while trying to help
growers. I remember when I was a beginning grower and Ray Waterman and Howard
Dill answered my questions. I don't normally answer E-Mails like this, but you
came on like a freight train with some faulty assumptions of your own. You
know--- I've never sent my qualifications out to anyone before. Let's
see............
                         Wayne Hackney
                         PhD Pumpkinology(growing big pumpkins)
                         16 years experience in soil blending
                          B.S. Geology Missouri School of Mines
                          Any more questions?   To coin a phrase you used.    

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