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Franklin, Tennessee

I will try and get a soil test at some point but it seems like a hassle - can I get away without one?

The land was grown on this year (it's a community garden) and I will be plowing out an extra plot for a giant pumpkin. The stuff that was grown this year seemed to be healthy except for powdery mildew on the cucurbits, late blight on the tomatoes, and insect pests as well.

So I am assuming the soil quality is already fairly good - would the AG pumpkins have a good chance at getting big if I amend with a good all-round compost and fertilize with mainly fish emulsion? Or should I really just get a soil test?

10/26/2009 9:40:50 PM

Covington, WA

Without one you really are flying blind. Can you grow a large pumpkin with good soil without knowing the details of the nutrient levels? Sure. Can you grow a competition fruit without knowing the nutrient levels? Not likely. At the very least you should want to know what your pH is to start with and your N-P-K levels. Otherwise you really are guessing that you are going to have a good balance of nutrients and probably going to guess wrong. When I first grew in this location my soil test revealed a phosphorous level of 2ppm. There was no chance in hell that I could have gotten anything decent out of there if I had not learned this early on and been able to take appropriate measures. If you have one nutrient like that that's way out of line you can use well balanced fertilizers all you want and you still can't bring the nutrients into balance because your not starting from any semblance of nutrient balance. Extremely low levels of some of the micronutrients can cause serious problems as well. Spend the money, get the test, and have a baseline that you can work from and get started. It's not essential every year, but it really is useful to know where your starting from.

10/26/2009 10:44:37 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Yeah you can get by without a soil test...if you want small or maybe even NO pumpkins. YES, if you want a big pumpkin you HAVE to get the test done. Giant pumpkins are like no other garden plant. The nutrients and balances are totally different from that of tomatos, cucumbers, etc.

What makes you think a soil test is such a hassle? If you think the test is a hassle you sure don't want to tackle the chore of trying to grow a giant pumpkin. It's probably the easiest thing we do although the most essential for the coming season. Dig 4 to 6 inches down into the soil in 3 or 4 different areas of the patch. Take a small sample (1 cup) and mix them all together and ship it off to the lab. 10 minute chore at worst. When you get the results back there are quite a few knowledgable growers here who will glady help you figure out what you need. Just throwing unknown amounts of any ferts or compost is a waste of time and effort. Get the test and do it right. The end rewards are very well worth it.

10/26/2009 10:44:56 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Your question is a very valid one for a new grower and hopefully all other new growers here will read and heed the advise given.

10/26/2009 10:49:18 PM

Williamsburg,KY

Our County Extension Office does soil test for free...thats about the only chore in the patch that really doesnt cost any money. Do youself a favor and listen to Hoots Dirt.

10/27/2009 8:07:12 AM

Murfreesboro, TN

Does anyone use any of the self test kits? Do they give enough info or are these giants so specialized that the extra pounds come from the smallest details and adjustments? I imagine that like anything competative the more you know the better you do.

10/27/2009 5:18:50 PM

milford, CT,

Catman..do a search for UMASS soil Testing ...$13 test (C Test) is a not much to spend for something you will care for 7 months daily. Get to know your soil..after you get your results ask some experienced growers for advice on what to do after you have your baseline results..Mark

10/27/2009 9:47:30 PM

Franklin, Tennessee

OK so my suspicions have been confirmed...and yes I will look into where I can get a soil test locally and I'll have it done.

I'm guessing it would be better to do it in the fall/winter to allow time for soil prep before planting next spring.

Oh and first, before anything else, I gotta mark off the spot and plow it up...this will be in a community garden that has several acres of unused fallow land so I have to dig up a new plot specifically for growing the Atlantic Giant.

Thanks all for the advice.

10/27/2009 11:32:35 PM

Franklin, Tennessee

I just googled it and found that our county extension office does soil tests, starting at $6 for a basic test.

10/27/2009 11:39:22 PM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

There is an A & L lab in Memphis:
http://www.al-labs.com/
A & L is about the best in the US. Basic test is $8.00.
A complete test with micros is &16.50. The complete test is the one to get. They will email results in a few days. I have used the Memphis labs for several years now.

10/28/2009 2:43:25 PM

Franklin, Tennessee

I would have to consider shipping costs if I were doing the test at the Memphis lab...because I definitely wouldn't drive out there just to test a little soil. I might just go with our local test and do a complete test.

10/28/2009 4:06:52 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Old Cane, you will find the store bought tests are not very accurate and give only bare info.

10/28/2009 5:04:41 PM

Adams County

Catman, not trying to be a pr@#$%^!&*$ k. but your local ext office dont know any thing about growing AG's. so unless you are a exp grower that knows what to look for in a test. you are wasting your money. So go with A&L or the one I use C&J products ( Craig lembke ) Both Great places to get a soil test. and will recomend what to add to the patch, to help you grow a big-un.the soil test is the best money spent. hopes this help.. Hope ya grow a big-en..

10/28/2009 8:00:24 PM

Ohio

Soil tests should be done and I will from now on, but I didn't do one last fall or this spring and I grew a 1024.5 my first year. So I don't agree that you HAVE to get one just to have a pumpkin large or small.

10/28/2009 9:43:45 PM

Franklin, Tennessee

just bill - thanks for the advice, I will consider the better test and figure out how much that will cost.

Tim T - I figured it was possible, but it seems not likely. Looks like you really got lucky - congrats on breaking 1000 on your first try! I'll be happy if I break 500...

10/28/2009 11:12:29 PM

Ohio

Thanks Catman, I hope luck had nothing to do with it. I didn't like the A&L labs Indiana results so for my spring test, I'm going to go with Craig Lembke.

10/29/2009 7:12:48 AM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

One of the real tricks to getting fruit to massive proportions is soil nutrient balance. Some soils are balanced naturally, but most need to be tweeked. The usual path to amending a new AG patch is to apply liberal amounts of manure / compost (as much as 6 yards per 1000ft2)to get the OM level up to the 7-8% range minimum. This is mainly a soil tilth/ structure/ water holding capacity issue. Along for the ride with all that OM is a ton of nutrients. I recommend applying your compost in the fall, getting it all tilled in and then soil testing in the spring. This will tell you where you are at. Many competitive growers will then further amend their patches with Lime/ gypsum/ sulfate of potash, blood and or bone meal, Jersey Green sand or even the less popular commercial granular fertilizers to "balance their soils".
The real question on soil testing is, what are you prepared to do with it. If you aren't going to try to achieve balance by what ever means are necessary, then soil testing is a wast of time. My best advice is to test and then seek out the advice of a qualified individual that knows how to read the test and give advice on AG growing.

10/29/2009 7:55:36 AM

Franklin, Tennessee

I'm going to try to keep it as simple as possible without leaving out something too important. Looks like so far I will be cultivating/adding OM to the patch this fall and then doing a soil test and further amendments in the spring.

Also I'm hoping to get a copy of Don Langevin's new book on organically growing giant pumpkins...that should help me out so I won't have to ask so many questions on here. ;)

10/29/2009 11:03:39 PM

Adams County

catman, asking questions is what this site is all about. ask all you want some one will help you the best they can

10/30/2009 6:50:18 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Bill is right, ask the questions. Also, don't wait until spring to do a soil test. It's possible some of the amendments you have to use may not have time to fully activate if you wait till spring. Do your amending now (all except maybe nitrogen).

10/30/2009 9:06:05 PM

Franklin, Tennessee

Will do the test when I can....hopefully during the winter (will that work?)

There will be a clean-up in the community garden in a couple weeks. After clean up I will ask and find out where I can plow up the spot for the AG pumpkin. Hopefully the cultivator they have out there will work...I'll run over the existing field grass and then do other preparations over the fall/winter/spring which will include soil test and amendments. I'm gonna have to deal with a lot of weeds next year...maybe plastic mulch film would be a good idea.

11/2/2009 12:10:15 AM

Adams County

Catman , no plastic,. AG's need to get into the soil at all possible points of contact. just hoe the weeds down. Big-uns take a lot of work. what you put in.. is what you get out. SO DONT SLACK AND GO GET A BIG-UN

11/2/2009 8:20:53 PM