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Hinckley MN

I transplanted my plants to the garden in late May. Their roots have already filled the 3ft x 4ft x 1.5 ft mound they are growing on. I tried to steal alittle soil from the edge of the mound to bury vines, but came up with a scoopful of roots. I have a 6ft plant, a 5ft plant and two 3 ft plants. The roots extend in all direction at least the lengh of the longest vine. Now I'm afraid to till too close to the plants. How close is too close to till the soil 5 inches deep? I have a loop hoe for weed control closer to the plants.

6/8/2011 10:29:38 PM

Western PA

If your main is 6 foot long, I would stay at least 7 foot away in all directions of the stump.

6/10/2011 6:10:20 AM

Muddy Waters

Yeah I always use that as a rule for every foot of vine,you stay back the same distance with tiller ALWAYS & LOOK FOR ROOTS in soil if you see them STOP TILLING!!!thats 360 degrees !!

6/10/2011 6:51:56 AM

Coventry R.I.

You should not be tilling at this point,,Just use a small rake,,,, and turn over lightly.

6/11/2011 10:15:43 AM

Pataskala,OH

Don't even try to till the roots are shallow and close to the surface. Use roundup it kills the weeds without messing with the soil. Just be careful not to get it on the pumpkin plant.

6/11/2011 10:29:17 AM

Buffalo, New York

I think Don Young cultivates around his plants making sure to stay far enough away not to disturb the roots.

Maybe he can explain what he does.....his soil always looks nice arounf the plants.

6/11/2011 4:41:45 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

No tilling! Use a push pull hoe to get rid of weeds. Tilling now will just hurt your plants let the roots take hold and keep the plant growing healthy. The your rooting system on your plant is just like every other AG out there. Fast and vigorouse, don't hurt your chances of growing a great pumpkin by ripping the foundation of the plant. good luck.

6/11/2011 4:51:53 PM

Hinckley MN

It is a new garden bed and I never finished preparing the soil because of all the wet weather this spring. I took heavy sod next to our septic mound and added 100lbs of lime, 50 lbs of gypsum, 20 yards of compost/peat mix, and 10 yards of aged manure for a 30x100 area and tilled once in each direction. it really needs one more tilling in each direction to be the right consistancy.

I think I will till 10ft from the plants and use poast and a loop or shuffle hoe closer to the plants. I kept the hoophouses on through our 100 degree day and now I'm glad because we are having 40 and 50 degree nights. once our lows are in the 60's the hoops are coming off

6/11/2011 10:42:45 PM