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Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

I know this sound ridiculous (and I do feel sorry for all of you that actually had a blow out) but I am trying to learn how to maximize growth. Until I find the maximum "deadly force" and actually blow one up, I feel I will always come up short of the pumpkins potential by underfeeding.

The pumpkins are growing, but only about 8 pounds a day at day 30. I have been feeding a gallon of Peters 20-20-20 (1 tablespoon to the gallon) to the stump every couple of days and foliar feed with a light seaweed/calcium every or every other night. I have clay soil everywhere except at the stump where I mounded some really good manure/topsoil/amended dirt. I have lost control of the weeding (except at the stump) so I am fertilizing not only the pumpkins but the weeds too. I would love to push these to the absolute limit. I know Beachy hits them with a lot of 20-20-20 and I am trying that, but my soil is not nearly as good as his. What does everyone here think is the absolute maximum fertilizer I could put on without burning/killing the plant. Would appreciate brand names and NPK ratios if possible. I am using Peters and Miracle Gro currently. Thanks

8/8/2006 12:37:28 PM

Mocksville, NC

if you want to blow a pumpkin up broadcasts on the ground Ammonium nitrate 1 pound 0-0-34,water in. If you want just the growth, foliar the plant leafs not the stump with 20-20-20/ fish (seaweed)If your into chemicals use 13-13-13 trykote 1/2 pound grandular sprinkle around your stump, and in between your sidevines per plant just prior to a rain, or water in trykote has a slow release of nitrogen, and watch the growth sperts.

8/8/2006 4:49:55 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Ehhhh...will Mark Pistono please answer this.."if ya ain't blowin.ya ain't growin"...even Mark has joined the "slow and steady"....but if anybody can give ya a "kick it" formula Mark can.

8/8/2006 9:13:29 PM