Dan Carlson/article requested
Dan, thought I'd jot a few things down for the article you asked for .
Now that our year is over, it's time to evaluate the pros/cons of this past
growing season, "now" is the time to prepare for next year. A couple of new
things I tried this year were,1. mounded my soil in nursery area 2' high, 2.
didn't use any granular fertilizers and stuck to liquid fertilizers. By
mounding this high, it allowed for excellent air movement around plant and
thus kept diseases to a minimum. It also allowed me to move between vines
without damaging them.
I also switched to liquid fertilizers and did a weekly drench and a
weekly foliar feed with them . The product Neptune Harvest offers a great
selection, but it can be spendy.If you do a foliar feed, you can almost see
immediate results the next day. I also buried my entire vine system this
year. I had incredible root growth thru this process.
I don't believe there's any big secret to producing big fruit. Good
soil, adequate nutrients, and sound gardening practices can ensure that
almost anyone will have good results. I feel some growers put to much
emphasis on science of growing instead of just letting it happen. If you
keep your garden healthy and clean, eventually you will produce your big
fruit. Don't be a scientist, be a grower.
A final thought on seed selection. I usually don't grow a seed from
untested fruit. Last years big pumpkin does not always produce another big
one. My 837 and 799 were from a Sproule 690 and Geerts 563
crossed.Respectable backgrounds, but not the norm for most people to grow.
So don't get hung up on growing seeds from the biggest available, there's
many seeds from average fruit that have the potential to produce a huge
pumpkin. Hope these words can help you grow the best yet. Till next time,
Happy Growing! Steve Thorson
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