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Usa

Does it hurt your pumpkins/squash to grow them on wood pallets? What are the pros and cons? Any info would be appreciated. Here in the heat it seems like the air flow underneath would help keep the pumpkins or squash cooler.

5/3/2003 4:47:07 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Wood pallets??????????????????????????

5/3/2003 8:06:01 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

I don't think that would be a real good idea Diane...slats would probably help a dill ring form. shade from the sun and a dry sandy platform would probably do you more good in keeping the pumpkin safe. I'm sure you get more ideas though. Grow em Big! Chuck

5/3/2003 8:12:32 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Carlos, Also known as "skids". Used for shipping & moving freight. Wooden boards about 2" wide. Nailed together to make a 4' x 4.5' pallet. They're easily picked up with a forklift. We pack bagged fertilizer on them. Forty 50Lb bags for 2000 lbs (1 US Ton) is standard here.

Diane, I've been thinking the same thing. I have easy access to forklifts & a friend has fork attachments for his Kubota tractor. I don't think the pumpkin can sit directly on the pallet though. Too hard. Some kind of insulation would be required I think.

Steve

5/3/2003 8:13:10 AM

Chico, Ca

go to home depot/lowes and buy sheets of styrofoam insulation 4'x 8'x 2" for around $15. The stuff I found has a strong plastic membrane on both sides. punch some holes for drainage and your friut is off the ground and dry. critters are less likely to burrow up into your pumpkin.

Robert.

5/3/2003 2:08:26 PM

Usa

So I can use the Styrofoam Insulation with holes in it on top of the wooden pallet? What size holes? What did you use to punch the holes?
I really think it would help keep the pumpkin squash cooler and it would keep it off of the ground (dryer).I have to use something to keep it off the ground on just this patch.
I am going to use the sand in one patch. I haven't decided what to use on the other patch. And I am going to shade all pumpkins/squash from sun.

5/3/2003 3:41:53 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

i used that pink insulation last year and will do the same again this year..and to stop anything from coming underneath it (tress or mice) i placed sheet metal on the soil and put that insulation on top then the pumpkin (softball size)...the reason for the sheet metal is to stop the locust seedling from growing thru my pumpkin...happen back in 2001
billy

5/3/2003 4:08:20 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

Even at ground level you have problems with the stem not being long enough and splitting because of the angle and downward pressure that the stem/pumpkin cause. Add 4-6 inches of hieght to your pumpkin because its sitting on a pallet and your problems will be compounded. Sorry, I don't think its a good idea.

5/3/2003 5:15:20 PM

North Ga

I agree with Brian C

5/3/2003 6:44:33 PM

Montoursville, PA

Pallet wood is treated with harsh chemicals. Don't want those chemicals in long term contact or association with anything I am growing. I've seen a couple creative fences and windbreaks built with them on smaller truck farms.

5/3/2003 7:43:23 PM

Chesterfield, MO

Just a thought...what if you partially buried the pallet so that it is lower to the ground to reduce the stem stress Brian C was talking about? I'm not sure how you would get it out but its just an idea.

5/3/2003 8:43:36 PM

Ga.

C&R,,,I used samething as you mentioned last year..It didnt allow my pkin to slide..No seed,,and very concave underneath..Wont be using this year!

5/4/2003 4:54:53 AM

Deer Park WA

I was introduced to "Pulp Mill Belting" a couple of seasons ago by several of the finest growers in the Pacific North West and since have not had a concave belly, varmit damage or rotting from excess moisture. Shelly Cramer offered it for sale here on BP.Com last year. Great Stuff! Loading these monsters is a pain in the back....

5/5/2003 7:01:05 AM

Montoursville, PA

I can find no negative line or thoughts relative to using "Pulp Mill Belting". One or more sell it here in our Equipment For Sale Lines or ask on the chat boards. It simply does not ever wear out. A good cleaning and sanitation scrub up is all it asks for at the end of the season. Many many years of use from the same pad.

Place pad under the pumpkin at basketball size. As the pumpkin grows pack wet sand between the earth and the belt material being pushed up around the bottom 20% or so of the pumpkin. Water goes through it, insects and vermin can not.
The sand forms a support ">" the whole way around the pumpkin to help prevent vertical weight stress on the fruit. This has been a super great discovery for big pumpkin growers.

5/5/2003 9:42:01 AM

Usa

"Pulp Mill Belting?" Does anyone have a picture of it? I will go check it out in the Equipment for Sale Thread.
Thanks for all of the ideas. It is very confusing because everyone does everything a little different. I do like the sand idea, I also like the styrofoam idea, the Pulp Mill Belting sounds interesting. I guess I am going to have to try a few different ways. I will have 4 patches to try different things with.
Thanks

5/5/2003 12:30:58 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I use pallets to elevate my water barrels, does that help?

5/5/2003 6:34:10 PM

Usa

Why do you use pallets to elevate your water barrels???
For gravity feed?
I have garbage can barrels. The poor folk watering cans.

5/5/2003 6:41:09 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

OK. I just used the most powerful search engine on the www (Google) & turned up zero hits for "pulp mill belting". Where on earth does one buy this stuff? How much does it cost? The way Doc Dwaine describes it, this is the way to go, adding sand to form a saucer. Pefrectly logical if it's obtainable in these parts. What's it made of? It sounds almost like a coarsely woven organic matt made like a Scotch-bright pad. Sort of like Jute netting only really thick? Help me out here folks! -Steve

5/5/2003 9:25:50 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

steve it's used in papermills its the belting material you see the paper roll on from roller to roller...expensive brand new but the papermills have to throw it out while it's still good for us! Chuck

5/5/2003 10:23:23 PM

Montoursville, PA

I'm in a mell of a hess. :) Can't remember where or whom I bought it from but I found and bought it here. Ya all dig and ask around. It is the synthetic white belt onto which the pulp falls in a paper mill. The water drops through as it passes through a dryer and that is how they make paper.

It wears for paper making and is trashed. Creative individuals have captured it and merchandised it. Mine jumpped right off the chat board when I ask first night or so. I did also see it advertised "Equipment For Sale" I think.

Raise enough questions and I believe you will find it.

You will not find it elsewhere. If you do you will find it costs like a thousand bucks a square foot or some other impossible number. It is here within our nitch growers somewhere. The cost was reasonable. Just what I forget.

That should be enough to help you locate it. Go get it. This one is absolutely the right way to go...with the sand added.

5/5/2003 10:24:31 PM

Chico, Ca

What about Dioxins? I'll pass on that concept.

Robert

5/5/2003 10:51:25 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Diane,
I use pallets because they're free! and I don't have to build anything, only stacking is required.
And yes, they're for a gravity drip line watering system.

I'd worry about a punkin' growing on wood. Seems you'd get some skin damage to me. Go with soft and dry.

5/6/2003 6:02:41 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

PS...Diane

I get my 55 gallon metal drum barrels for my drip line at the local candy factory, free. They're sold, plastic, on the Internet for anywhere from $40 to $125.
I get my pallets there also.

I'm poor (or cheap) too...look around, free stuff everywhere.

5/6/2003 6:08:42 AM

Utah

docgipe-
did you hear of them from Shellie Cramer ?

I use 1x4 or 1x6 pieces of wood ... you can add more as you go. they drain well between the pieces of wood. sand all around to keep thing secure.
gordon

5/6/2003 8:57:26 AM