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Location

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Date Posted

The North Coast

My patch is on a bit of a hill, it drops about 6' over a 30' run. Does anyone think that it is a disadvantage to grow the main vine up the slope? Growing down the hill greatly complicates fruit removal. I am most concerned about hindering the efficiency of the vascular system. Cheers.

1/17/2012 9:41:11 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Depending on your soil, having your stump at the bottom of the hill is a recipe for stump rot\foaming stump since all precip will drain down. I was advised to grow from a mound and down for adequate drainage to avoid the above issues.

I am not sure how much\if it hinders the vascular system. Just my 2 cents.

1/17/2012 10:27:06 AM

Polson, Montana

I have more slope than that on one of my patches and have never had a problem.

1/17/2012 11:18:08 AM

Polson, Montana

Mistake I thought you had 6 inches instead of 6 ft. Yikes! Mine drops about 3-5 ft.

1/17/2012 11:56:28 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

The vascular system is powered by capillary action caused by transpiration. As long as you have healthy leaves sucking water towards them you are good to go. Hell look at trees.

1/17/2012 1:02:53 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Oh and I agree with Luke about the uphill stump having less moisture and disease pressure.

1/17/2012 1:04:12 PM

Glosta

look at this
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=155718

Email Norm and ask him which he thinks is best. he has successfully grown over 1400 in this patch

1/17/2012 1:36:55 PM

The North Coast

Ya Bry, that looks just like my patch and thanks to all for your input. It is just one of those little things eating away at my sanity during the off season. I will heed the warnings of over saturation at the stump end. I am thinking about perforated pipe about 12" down and sent out to day light. My loving wife would not like having a crane come in to pick the pumpkin. Good luck to us all in 2012 and thanks pap for the time you spend helping us wannabes...your experienced input will most definitely advance us all.

1/17/2012 3:26:17 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Where is the Sun on the hill????? That is the important thing

1/17/2012 4:09:37 PM

The North Coast

Yes, that is right. It slopes just a few degrees west of due south. Its a pretty good spot...good drainage too!

1/17/2012 4:15:39 PM

Joliet, IL

My patch has a nice crown and I plant in the center on the high points which is nice for drainage especially with gullywashers. I would think the high side is the better spot to plant and grow down hill. I have learned from experience that even when you level out the fruit spot on a slope for the pumpkin to sit level, it can be deceiving to the naked eye. Maybe use a level and dig into the slope a tad to make level. I added dirt on the low end to make level without compacting it enough and the pumpkin compacted it as it grew. That pumpkin was sitting with the left side of stem downhill and right side of stem uphill. As the pumpkin compacted the soil with increase weight the downhill side pulled with gravity and became a little misformed and when i opened it up at the end of the season saw how this dip had mighty thin flesh and was lucky the rib didn't run too deep. Or maybe try to position with stem pointing uphill or vice versa. I would do my best to level out, compact ground if you need to add to make level, and check with a level. This is what I will do after that experience last year.

1/17/2012 4:59:08 PM

Long Island,New York

My experience: Once the seedling emerges its all downhill no matter what direction it choses.....

1/17/2012 5:48:23 PM

Cincinnati,OH

Lol

1/17/2012 7:12:48 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

lol G

1/17/2012 10:43:49 PM