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In the shade - PDX, OR

Hello - I have a few questions about hitting a plant hard.

- How do determine when to do this?
- How much Fert do you use?
- What kind?
- How often?

My Fruit is 29 days old and gaining 10lbs a day. Wondering if I should try this.
Sorry for so many questions & Thanks for the help. - Ceis

8/10/2002 4:08:34 PM

San Diego

good question, I would love to hear what the big guys do.

8/10/2002 9:16:54 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Ceis, I think this is where your on your own...The experiment is ongoing. I don't think anyone wants to give you the advice of adding X amount of nitrogen if it might blow up your only pumpkin. I think Farmer Scott said it right some of the pumpkins are slow and steady others are weekly spurts...It's a tough call and experience will tell you when to whack em and when not to. If ya whack em the day before a big rain might be to much...no rain it goes okay ...Pretty sure your in that 80-100 day growing area...ten pounds a day sounds pretty darn good! Grow em BIg Buddy! Chuck

8/12/2002 6:08:24 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Chuck - Thanks for bringing me back down to the ground. I have been slow and steady so far & it has yielded good results. I'll be sticking to the plan for as long as I can. I'm using pretty balanced Fert. triple 20 & alternating w/the schultz tomatoe food. I have also been giving 0-0-22 once a week. (Just wondering about pushing more potassium)
August has been good weather so far - but I was thinking about an experiment in Sept. when things start slowing down. I have 3 plants going so will pick one for the experiment.

Your future patch looks pretty good - just have to bust through some of that clay. (i'm thinking sand, manure & leaves & not necessiarly in that order) Cheers - Ceis

8/13/2002 12:39:52 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey Ceis, I didn't realize ya had more then one going. Pick out one of the plants and experiment with ir. You'll never now what blows em up until ya do! Yeah lot of work to do down there. Solid clay and rock. Stumps are supposed to be pulled this week and made a deal with one of the lawn guys to dump all his fall leaves down there. so gonna bury it deep and hopefully not put to much clay in the top, It will take a couple of years to get the soil right but will finally have some room to see what a full size plant looks like! Looking forward to hearing that final weight better start looking for buddies and strong tarp to pull em out!Grow em big! Chuck

8/13/2002 5:44:30 AM