High Nitrogen
Laurie:
Only a few people still closely follow Don's fertilizer recommendations of
the past at this point. The fertilizer chapter will be much different in the
next book as times are changing. Almost everyone is growing more organically now.
Your nitrogen supply considerations should now include such things as alfalfa
meal or blood meal placed in the soil or something like sea weed or fish
emulsion applied with a foliar type spray weekly as the leaves grow. The only use
of anything like calcium nitrate or potassium nitrate or urea for nitrogen
that is being used, and only by a few, is before the ground warms up enough for
the bacteria etc to become active to break down the organic materials in the
soil to release nitrogen to the plants. High nitrogen concentrations later seem
to work against proper pollination and growth of female pumpkins such that it
is hard to set anything. You should start all of your planning with the
application of compost or old manure and then a soil test to see where you are and
then the use of more organic materials though none of us seems to be able to
totally elude chemical fertilizers. Much of this compost/manure application has
to take place in the Fall as you prepare your soil for next year. Get a soil
test this year and do the best you can this year and then start planning for
next year as getting your soil in shape is an ongoing task.
Marv in Altoona, PA
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