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Rhode Island

6. as soon as soil can be worked be sure to have the soil in your garden tested. ph needs to be 6.3 to 7.0. keep the nitrogen on the low side but the additions of kelp meal, humic acid, soil soups, aged organic matter, a high potash organic fertalizer is reccommended.
7. deep till your patch once after adding ammendments.
8. dig holes where your plants will be put in, cover area with a mini hut or greenhouse type closure so the soil and hole will warm up. ( at least one week before expected planting time )add micro organisms and/or root shield into hole and also in trench when vine burying all season.
9. allow a minimum of 400 square ft per plant. many make the mistake of cramming to many plants into a small area.
10. put seedling in with first true leaf dropping in the same direction you want the main to go
11. keep plant covered on cold nights with a styrofoam cooler over seedling. use a heating cable in ground if you wish, some also use a small black light to keep the hut/greenhouse warm. -------this is very important to the plants health.
12. water with mild solution of kelp and fish water soluable or a manure tea with half the amt of water soluable kelp/fish
13. dont cook your plants in the daytime heat, but keep them covered at night temp permitting.on hot days better to leave huts open a bit rather than burn them up.
14. keep a four ft or higher temporary wind fence up around young plants once greenhouses are removed.
keep fence up until main and side roots are buried and anchored well.

3/15/2007 9:33:53 PM

Rhode Island

opps on number 10.

ment to say the main vine will drop in the opposite direction of the first true leaf. thanks bill for letting me know.

pap

3/16/2007 10:18:56 PM