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Mount Prospect,illinois

I am starting to see little males growing on my vine. It doesn't look like there are any females yet. Is there anything that i can do to change this or do i simply have to wait for the females?

7/5/2006 1:29:33 PM

Midwest

The utmost patience is required. Sounds like your plant is just beginning the reproduction phase. Females appear about 1-2weeks after the first males. You possibly may help this process along by applying foliar ferts like k-sulphate, triple-phosphate. Be sure to not over-do the nitrogen ferts. Certain plants are more prone to throw females early... Best wishes Dave!
Greg

7/5/2006 2:14:03 PM

Montoursville, PA

Sounds about normal.........the males are programed, to come first. This enables the insects, to hone in, on the natural job, to be done. Kinda neat!

7/5/2006 3:33:01 PM

Mount Prospect,illinois

all i needed to hear. Thanks for the responses. I do have a high phosphate fert but it sounds like things are going along normally (although WAY behind those people who actually know what they are doing):)

7/5/2006 5:03:59 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Don't worry Dave...your tendency when you first start growing these things is to over fertilize the plant..what you do at the end of this season is take a soil sample and find out what the plant sucked out of the soil...then the fall prep begins with the additions of OM and ammendig the soil to what was needed...next year that patch will roll like the ones you see on the board...soil prep is the key! then early hoop housee for heat...too much fert applied now is just as likely to cause a pathogen bloom as it ss to make the plant grow..GrowEmBig! Sounds like the AG bug has got another one! Chuck

7/6/2006 6:52:48 AM

Montoursville, PA

You fellows that are new just do the best you can to sort out what you can do. Don't get up tight hearing all the tweeking a lot, of us do. Your first year from scratch is one you will never forget.

Do what you can to build your soil. A light mulch will help with that chore. Then get some manure and a cover crop on this fall. Add more leaves in the fall too if you can. All the extras are skilled applications.

One thing you could safely do right now is add Ironite granular as a very light side dressing. Carefull now! Use the Ironite that has very low numbers like 1-0-0. They now have several products with higher numbers. This will introduce trace minerals you do not have, in your native soil. The amount is a sprinkle and not to important because of the very low numbers. Scratch it in the top half inch or so of soil as you hoe the weeds. All hoeing should be very shallow. Your will find roots very close to the top. The Ironite will be considered organic, by most growers. Ironite is a tried and proven product readily available. I have used it for general gardening, for many years. The instructions are on the bag. Use about ten pounds side dressing or treating one thousand square feet, of patch. Guessing at less is OK.

Fish and kelp meal or liquid as a foliar feed is used, by darn near all growers. This may go on. If in the meal form side dress it. If in foliar form wet the leaves once a week. Foliar form is more expensive but readily available at any lawn and garden center like Lowe's.

To conclude if you keep the bugs and milldew off you will be very pleased with whatever you get.

7/6/2006 8:53:25 AM

Mount Prospect,illinois

And right on cue.......i noticed 2 small females this afternoon!!! It's like they were listening (imagine that.....females listening!!!! weeeeeeeee)
Docgipe, I do have a fish/seaweed foliar that i use and it seems to do nicely.
Thanks again guys.

7/6/2006 8:20:09 PM