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Southern NH

1.
What are the different numbers I hear you guys using in reference to your type of pumpkin plants?
Is there a website that talks about it?

2.
Is there such a thing as a (giant) pumpkin plant that is resistant to powdery mildew, and other anoying diseases?

9/20/2002 7:26:14 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

I'll tackle number one, have no idea about #2 but my guess is no.
The numbers indicate the weight of the parent plant and the name is the last name of the grower that grew that seed.
ie 847.5 Christensen (01). Brian Christensen (me) grew this plant in 2001. It weighed in at 847.5 lbs. It gives a way to follow the genetics of the pumpkin.. Usually the year is left off unless there is other fruits of the same weight [940 Mombert (98) and 940 Mombert (00)].

9/20/2002 7:50:58 PM

Southern NH

oh, ok. Thats much less complicated then I expected. I thought each number was a different breed of pumpkin plant.

I've noticed that different pumpkin plants produce different colored/sized/shaped pumpkins.
Is there a system to categorize the types of pumpkin plants? or the "breeds"?

9/20/2002 8:45:04 PM

Southern NH

I'm going to add a #3 to the questions

3.
How is it that the "professional" growers seems to always wave soft soil? do they add something?

My soil, every time its watered, seems to get harder and more compact; Not to meantion my soil always looks dry and dusty.

9/20/2002 8:47:50 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

organic matter
organic matter
and more
organic matter

9/20/2002 9:08:13 PM

Southern NH

where do I get that type of stuff if I don't quite have a compost?

9/20/2002 9:23:59 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

straw, leaves, cornstalks, hay, horse manure, cow manure, chicken dung, zoo poo, whatever is available. Compost is probably best but take whatever you can get something is better then nothing.

9/20/2002 10:33:06 PM

Yreka, CA

Hey Bluey, is there a horse stable anywhere near you? If so, ask them if you can have some of the manure. Sometimes they want you to pay for it, but especially this time of year, they may give some away. Also, do you or anyone you know have a lawn? how about the local high school or golf course? Will they give you some grass clippings? Also, be sure to ask whoever cooks in your house to save all organic kitchen waste. You would be amazed at how much piles up quickly. (I know I was!) You can just keep it in a garbage bag, although there are lots of sites on the web that will tell you how to make a cheap, easy compost bin. Leaves are another great source of organic matter. It's getting to be leaf-raking season. Offer to do it for your family or neighbors, and keep the leaves. THEN, mix this stuff into your soil this fall before you put your garden to "bed" for the winter. Or, put it into a big plastic garbage can and let it sit all winter, and then stir it in in the spring. There's more to composting than that, but there are some ideas re: where to get good organic stuff. You can probably think of others once you get to thinking about it. I find that every time I see someone trimming trees, etc. I find myself examining their waste with an eye toward compost and firewood. My neighbors probably think I am a real weirdo! LOL Patience

9/20/2002 10:37:18 PM

Liverpool , England

Yo Bluey,
Nice to hear some normal questions for a change........we get some real nird ones from some new growers at times and whatever you tell them it just goes in one ear and out the other and lands on the floor. AND if you do find a pumpkin plant that is resistant to mildew PLEASE let the pumpkin growing world know about it.good luck with you pumpkin growing.

Alun

9/21/2002 8:05:15 PM

Webster, NY

There is a dairy farm near us, and for $20 I can load up my little pick up 2 or 3 times. It's kind of fun when the neighbors ask what I have, and I tell them.

As far as I know, most cucurbits are susceptible to powdery mildew. It's just the way it is. Being diligent with a good fungicide keeps it under control. One plant was doing very well, and it was close to the end of the season. I ran out of the fungicide I was using. Within a week and a half, the PM had run rampant. A good lesson for me for next year. Keep ip the daconil applications!!!

9/21/2002 8:41:23 PM

New Brunswick

LOL Bluey...I thought the same thing...that all the different numbers meant different kinds of pumpkins! I am glad you asked that question. Regarding the kind of soil I use, it is entirely 100% horse manure. We have horses and we have a tractor and bucket dump it on our garden and pumpkin patch every spring. So far, (knock on wood) I have had no disease or mildew....though I do have a right good fight with those dratted cucumber beetles.

9/21/2002 9:14:47 PM

Southern NH

Thanks for all your posts!

Alun, I do know about the newbie in-one-ear-and-out because, hey I'm a newbie too :-)
I guess its the excitement of possiblely growing something enormously large for the first time, and, not to meantion, the franticness of losing it (can cause some memory loss).

I bought about 9 bags of manure from wal-mart and put it in my "meager garden", and the soil is still dusty and powdery.
Did I not use enough?
Is Walmart selling, well, the cheepest manure? lol

So what I need to do is find some fresh "stuff" :-p next year, and find out how to truck it over here?
Or would a compost suffice?

(my mother currently has a composting bin out back, but you know, busy parents are usually too busy ;-)
I guess I will have to take over the task....(breathe.....breathe......deep breaths tim.....ok, resposibility for another thing..... this growing-up thing can be stressful :-)

Also, for those of you who want to know, I went out today to see some evidence revealed: I, just today, saw the light green dots on the leaves acompanied by the, of course, white fuzz. Yes ladies and gentlemen, my plant officialy has powdery mildew (along with the pumpkin rot[black rot?] and possibly something else)

And out of the two remaining vines that are alive, I have another possible pumpkin. I believe it was pollinated 2-3 days ago, and seems to be growing (I will try to post pics later)

9/21/2002 10:11:20 PM

New Brunswick

Bluey...I just remembered....when I planted my plants in the ground, I heaped up a pile of manure and mixed in peat moss. So the ground immediately surrounding the plant would not be so dry. My site gets sun all day long. I did not have any mildew.... Sure hope someone in here can help you. I am, like you, inexperienced...but apparently lucky.

9/22/2002 7:43:14 AM

Southern NH

So peat moss helps??

9/22/2002 11:12:38 AM

Liverpool , England

Yo bluey,
Heap on anything you can get, leaves, manure, grass cutting, whatever. I put on 34 tons horse manure for this season and grass clipping and leaves and anything that was going free.Over here I get as much poop as i want for free so I do tend to go mad but if you can't get enough to do all the patch then just do an area about 8' x 8' and as deep as you can and concentrate on that. This will give the roots a good start and you can build it up over a few years. Anyway at least you asking the right questions and taking it in..which is more than can be said about a few others...no names mentioned...but we know who you are don't we guys?


Alun

9/22/2002 7:50:40 PM

Southern NH

question #4:
is it safe to mix fungicide, insecticide, and fertilizer all in one batch so only one application is needed?

question #5:
since I can't use a hose, what is the easiest way to apply water, fungicide, insecticide, and fertilizer?

9/23/2002 11:09:38 AM

Webster, NY

Check the lables on the bottles. Isotox and daconil can be mixed, but it's best to check before doing it.

I use a watering can when I apply fungicide and insecticide. It's a bit of work, but I only have 3 plants. If I had 5 or 10 plants I would have to rethink what I was doing.

9/23/2002 11:17:29 AM

Grants Pass, Oregon

hey Alun:

Are you telling me that you are full of it? lol

9/23/2002 4:15:32 PM

Liverpool , England

Yo Carrie,
Yes sweety pie I'm full of it and I've been a bad boy and if I dont pull my socks up I'll be up to my neck in it.....lol...lol

Alun

9/23/2002 7:07:16 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

so its ok and best to add as much manure that a person can get ahold of? Should you let it sit on the soil or till it under everytime that you add a load of manure?

9/24/2002 11:52:20 AM

Liverpool , England

Yooo sweety,
Yeah you can pile it on or till it in, I'll come and watch you till it in if I may.

alun

9/24/2002 6:47:06 PM

Yreka, CA

Wow, Alun, either you are an atrocious flirt, or you just like to watch people stir up s**t. And I thought that you English were so proper! LOL
Patience

9/25/2002 1:34:32 AM

Grants Pass, Oregon

hey Patience

Alun is a big flirt and I dont think he is too proper. lol

9/25/2002 11:10:59 AM

Liverpool , England

Yooo sweety,
Your just saying that cos its true...lolsml.... Deaf Eddie says Yo as well.


alun

9/25/2002 7:55:39 PM