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Benton Ky

Has anyone heard of feeding the plants through an iv bag?

4/23/2004 4:26:24 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Only in children's books.

4/23/2004 7:55:07 PM

Benton Ky

I didnt know what to think of that responce,but I have looked around on the forum and see it is an old wives tale.My cousin used to ship tomatoes to Michigan and he told me someone he had contact with there did this.I am just getting started in this sorry if I offended ya Ceis.My dad just had cancer surgery and was on iv bags at home and I have a bunch of them saved thought I had a gold mine to get started with lol. I do have a lot of space that has had cattle,horses and hogs taking care of it for the last 40 years so maybe I can grow a decent one.I got a barn full of manure too. Thanks for the help.You have a very good forum here.

4/26/2004 12:52:09 AM

Taber, Alberta

Sorry to hear about your father. Keep asking questions, I know I've asked a few stupid ones. Good luck this year.
Alan

4/26/2004 1:13:54 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

tom - No offence taken. There are some pretty wild ideas out there. Some sound interesting and tempting most "artifical" ideas don't amount to squat. Test some of your ideas on a back up plant - they just might work.


My advice - learn the basics and go from there.

4/26/2004 1:50:34 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Play & learn. That's the fun of it for soime folks. No problem with this at all assuming no one get's hurt & the environment remains intact.

I've used both extended dwell catheters & conventional hypodermic needles to inject Pumpkin vines. I've injected low rates of 20-20-20 soluble fertilizer, PGR-IV plant hormones, & even very low rates of 2,4-d (Weeeeeeeee!!!!!!). So far none have actually died but the growth we experienced and the subsequent fruit aborts have done little to instill my confidence.

Just don't play Mad Scientist on your primary plant. Keeping one off to the side as a pollin donor/chemistry experiment is fun though. If this sport isn't supposed to be fun, then why would we do it? And who is to say you can't stumble across a "silver bullet" doing it?

Play safe & have fun.

4/26/2004 7:13:50 AM

Western Pa.

I have experimented with feeding pumpkins with an iv bag, and it seems do quite well. Note: I am not intraveinously feeding my pumpkins! "No needle pierces the vine!" I simply used the iv bag and "valve" to slowly drip a miracle grow solution, one drop at a time. And I NEVER, EVER use milk!

4/26/2004 5:25:44 PM

Pulaski Tn blkcloud@igiles.net

progressive farmer mag. showed a guy using the iv bags last to grow giant watermelons..along the same lines as kilr does..

4/27/2004 9:37:09 AM

Benton Ky

I probally will try it wth miracle grow on my tomatoes and maybe on a pumpkin.I thought it sounded dangerous to stick it in the vine.My cousin always could always have ripe tomatoes 2 weeks ahead of anyone around home or the big farmers 150 miles south of us .I know there are secrets to doing things like this.His farm was close to the banks of the Tennessee river, the misty fog off of the river would help against frost bite in early spring.There used to be a peach orchard close by for the same reason. I have seen pictures of his tomatoe plants with ice on them, purposely misted with water to form ice to insulate from frost bite it sounds crazy ,but it worked. I am sure there is some secrets still hidden out there, but my 89 year old grandpa still says horse manure is the best.I will probally try the Iv bag with some home made tea also ,but not stuck in a vine.

4/27/2004 12:00:17 PM

Western Pa.

Tomatoe,

I posted originally because I think some that answered your post "assumed" that you would be putting an iv into the plant. I have heard of people doing this, as have most of us,(and yes, with milk also), but oddly enough, I have never seen any "results" from anyone whom reportedly injected, and actually grew something noteable. Why anyone would want to make a wound on the plant that could make it susceptible to disease is beyond me! On the other hand, by using the bag, you can assure a slow,steady feeding to the plants. I think the reason your cousin had the earliest tomatoes was because he started them the earliest! Giant pumpkins do seem to do better near a body of water, perhaps because of the "heat-sink". Good luck with your Dad and the plants!

4/27/2004 1:35:32 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Hypodermic syringes do no more damage to plant cells than they do our own. Some yes. But less than the benefit if done correctly.

Try taking medicine by lacerating your arm & stuffing the cut with lamp wicking & see how things work out. LOL

The things we read about & children's books, then try in the garden is amusing but of no benefit.

4/27/2004 2:02:37 PM

Ohio

hey what about watering ur pumpkin plant with milk?, wonder if this would work,lol

4/29/2004 2:19:22 PM