Re: Raised Bed
>Chris:
>I apologise if I mis-quoted you. I was quoting someone who quoted you in a
>posting on the list. The 2' depth also came from someone's posting, quoting
>research.
>Just a thought, since you're "on the line": the larger plots needed are making
>it almost impossible for a gardener with a very small plot to have a chance to
>grow a giant pumpkin of champion calibre size. Is there any chance that with
>intensive practices, including very fertile soil, & careful but heavy
>organic or
>liquid fertilizer, that a plant could be restrained to a smaller plot, & still
>have a chance of growing a giant pumpkin? Is there any way to work around the
>small size of a plot? Any suggestions?
>Thanks
>TerryLynn
Terry,
This year was my second year trying to grow giant pumpkins. I don't
have a space problem but I have another problem. My garden is pretty big
but my family won't let me take it all over with pumpkins. They need space
for sweet corn and tomatoes. So I was forced to find somewhere else to grow
my pumpkins. I settled for a spot a the end of our orchard that had a
natural wind break. But the problem was space and time to prepare it. In
the end I had two hill sites. They were 12'X12' and each surrounded by
grass and a few dwarf fruit trees. I added 40 cu.ft. of old cow manure in
the fall and then 15 cu. ft in the spring. Also I added some leaves and a
little wood ash. The total fertilized area was 144 sq.ft. The center of the
hill was 1 foot higher than the surrounding grass and tapered outward.
Well, the result was a 444 AG and a 346 squash. Not huge but I was very
happy and good enough to place 9th and 3rd at the St. Johns weighoff.
Also I made quite a few mistakes during the growing season. At
first I fertilized to heavy and burnt the leaves, then I didn't prune quick
enough and It sprawled out of control, and then I did't bury the vines, and
I think I went to light on the fert. in late season as I look at the growth
curve of my pumpkin. I was afraid of burning it again or worse. What this
proves is that big pumpkins can be grown on small plots. I think if I would
corrected the above mistakes I could have hit 550-600. The eratic fert.
schedule was the biggest mistake. Also I am convinced that burying the
vines is instumental in growing big ones. Next year I'm going to make a
special mix containing dirt, old manure and a little compost to bury the
vines with once they grow out over the grass.I think it is quite possible
to grow really big ones in a small area if you make certain adjustments.
Plus that grass keeps the weeds under control and doesn't seem to affect
the vines that much. I just mow it very low as the vines move in. I plan on
using the same small area next year. Oh, and by the way these two smallest
plots produced the largest fruits of my total of 8 hills.
A giant may be only 11 months away
John
