From

Location

Message

Date Posted

In The Patch (Cambridge, Ohio)

Hello, I am a first year grower and have tried to do extensive reading and studying of any info I can get my hands on before posting on this board as most questions can be answered just by reading here. I have something strange going on though and I am just seeking second opinions and advice from some of you experienced growers as to what is going on. I have 3 AG plants with plant 1 and 2 being on the same side of the garden and plant 3 being on the other.

Plant # 1 has a pumpkin at around 12ft or so that is 70" cir and 160 OTT. This pumpkin has been slowing down from almost 11 lbs a day to now 3 over the course of 4 days. This plant is getting the most water and the most fertilizer of all three plants. Plant looks very healthy, vines are growing upwards somewhat (not extreme), vine is solid and not mushy.

Plant # 2 has two small pumpkins less than 10 days old but yesterday it had three pumpkins and I culled one because it was ballooning on one side and was very lopsided and looked like it would blow up soon. This plant gets less water and fertilizer than plant #1 but more than plant # 3. Again, healthy plant and not other issues.

Plant # 3 is getting virtually no fertilizer compare to #1 and #2 nor is it getting anywhere near as much water (2/3 as much water or less). This plant has 3 small pumpkins that are less than 10 days old and this morning I went out to find two of them blown up with clear jelly type stuff coming out of them and cracked. Healthy plant no other issues.

7/15/2007 9:12:25 AM

In The Patch (Cambridge, Ohio)

My observations:
Plant # 1 is deprived of oxygen with too much moisture in the root zone therefore the fertilzer is not spurting growth like it should(?). In a few days after drying some this pumpkin is going to blow.

Plant # 2 may also be overwatered and lacking oxygen. Get ready for some more pumpkin exploding fun, bring the video camera.

Plant # 3 has oxygen because it is not overwatered and the little bit of fertilizer it is getting is too much for this stage of growth causing the pumpkins to grow too fast (they are not growing fast though or even big?) and burst.

Note: the large pumpkin on plant #1 had no fertilizer at all until day 16 but it was watered pretty heavy right from the get go after fruit set. I have had 100% pollination success on my AGs, Prizewinners, Big Max and Howdens.

Are my observations in the ballpark as to what is going on? I was not sure other than I was either overwatering or underwatering on plant# 1 until this morning when I found pumpkins blowing up on plant#3 which then made me think back to some of Tremor's responses that I had read about lack of oxygen in the soil and how it could stunt growth. Any advice would be very appreciated and thanks for your responses ahead of time.
AW

7/15/2007 9:12:45 AM

In The Patch (Cambridge, Ohio)

I should also add that when I dig down a few inches that the soil is not overly wet and does not drip when I squeeze it. There is however a layer of clay about 8-10" down where the water could be collecting heavily. I cannot really dig where the roots are to find out so I am thinking maybe watering an unoccupied spot where plant #4 was (it was pulled earlier on) at one time for several days the way that I am watering plants 1 and 2 and then digging down to see the moisture levels are various depths to get a better idea of what is going on down there. I am not 100% sure what is going on here but I do know that I am losing pounds that could be going on pumpkins and that is not good. Thanks again for any input you are willing to give. AW

7/15/2007 9:39:27 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

AW, soil type & watering patterns were described very well, but what have you been "fertilizing" with? I am thinkin that, that info might give the pro's a better idea what might be happenin in yer patch...hope this helps!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...Location (where do you grow) might also be helpful.

7/15/2007 11:32:46 AM

In The Patch (Cambridge, Ohio)

Wayne, thank you for your response and here is that info. Miracle Gro 18-18-21 and Neptunes Fish and Seaweed.

Plant 1 in the last week has had 1 application of Neptunes at about 10 TBS total for the whole plant, 5 days ago a weak solution of the 18-18-21 (6 TBS) and yesterday a beefier solution although still WELL below the recomended weekly dosage of 18-18-21 ( < 1/4 pound). I increased because this plant already has a good sized keeper pumpkin on it that I was trying to kick the growth up back over 10+ lbs since it had dropped off the mark.

Plant 2 had a slightly weaker Neptunes solution due to the fact I was setting fruit about a week ago and about a 3 TBS application of the 18-18-21 3 days ago. This plant so far is fine.

Plant 3 had a very weak solution of neptunes (roughly 5 TBS total) 5 days ago and 3 TBS of the 18-18-21 MG.

Location is in Ohio and my soil probably is not a really good draining one. There is a place where my hose leaks and makes a big puddle everytime I water which is in a place that was tilled just like everything else. Just to see how wet it was beneath that I took a shovel and dug it up this morning and it was not very wet at all although not dry as in light brown and crumbly either. You could squeeze it and pack it although it would crumble easy. Thanks,
AW

7/15/2007 12:24:37 PM

how are we adding the ferts? foliar or drench?

7/15/2007 12:30:31 PM

In The Patch (Cambridge, Ohio)

Hi Dan, foliar and drench. I drenched the stump area good and then went on to drench the rest of the plant leaves and all. To make sure there was nothing left on the leaves to potentially burn them later in the day I then rinsed the leaves with water to try and push the ferts mostly down to the node roots instead of on the leaves. Today I am noticing the plants slightly stressing in the heat and it is only about 80 degrees and sunny so that is not normal for these plants in accordance with what I have seen earlier in the season. Up until the last 2 weeks the few times we got in the high 80s there was no drooping although there was some slight burning of the leaves which I solved after talking with a few growers about misting which I started doing on hot days. I should also mention there is quite a bit of iron in the well water that I used to water with. Enough so that it leaves some brown on the leaves after misting and Plant 1 and 2 got the most misting. Maybe possible that it is locking up the nutrients in the soil? I really do not know what to think at this point. My Prizewinner hybrids each have 2 pumpkins on them and the past two days they are growing rapidly and steadily and have not been watered for over a week and a half. The growth on my AG is only at night between 9pm and 8am (most of it midnight to 4am). Just 1 inch of total OTT growth during the day even when it was growing at 10 lbs a day. Hope this info is helpful. Thanks

7/15/2007 2:08:31 PM