Home What's New Message Board
BigPumpkins.com
Select Destination Site Search

Message Board

 
Fertilizing and Watering

Subject:  When to fertilize

Fertilizing and Watering      Return to Board List

From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

Can anyone tell me when is the best time to fertilize and what type of fertilizer to use right now I'm using fish and seaweed. As a drench and light foliar application.

5/9/2010 12:56:47 PM

NP

Pataskala,OH

High nitrogen fertilizer in about 2 weeks.

5/9/2010 1:41:20 PM

Richard

Minnesota

Hollandsgiants.com has a fertilizer program, I'm roughly following it.

5/9/2010 4:12:22 PM

Pumpkin JAM

Tinykinville

kenny fert program should be related to soil test. never put stuff on if soils already got it.

5/13/2010 4:01:10 AM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

I'm sorry Nic but after reading your last response to one post about I'm not gonna take any of your advice. Please don't take this personal.

5/13/2010 10:01:17 AM

Newman

Anchorage, Alaska

Whoa

Kenny you asked for advice and you got it - there is no need to tell a person that their opinion isn't valued. Do yourself a favor and keep that quiet. Ad hominem arguments are usually insulting, so don't be surprised if Nic rightly takes it personally.

You have a history of being in the middle of conflict on bp - maybe it has something to do with carelessly posting personal thoughts.

5/13/2010 11:05:16 AM

Mark G.

Marion,IN

Kenny,
Here is a suggestion you might try. There may be a group of growers in your area that grow pumpkins. Have you checked for any grower associations? Have you tried getting in contact with any of them? Someone my offer advice to you or even offer to mentor you. You may find a few growers right in your own backyard that just may know a thing or two about growing. If I lived in R.I. thats what I would do.

Mark G.

5/13/2010 11:31:16 AM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

Yes Mark thats what I have done and Yes I do I wanted a quick answer to a question and will apply the best thing that may apply to my area or region, I had made an early mistake last season with over fertilization with solubles.....So yes Mark I'm trying to learn things and get better at it..And yes to all of what you asked. This is a forum isn't it?
Newman, perhaps you're quite ignorant on why I would say that and yes it wasn't anything personal. I wrote that...Perhaps it's you that doesn't know my personality..perhaps its you who doesn't know me or who I am. Not that I owe you any explination...Being part of a community like this, things get somewhat passion filled.And I'm motivated to grow these things! I'm done posting for a while because of people like you coming out of the wood work to sit around and judge and examine everything that a person does or says.
I know that Nic is only trying to help and thats cool I like Nic. I just had an issue with some advice that he gave a grower regarding fish and applications of fertilizers(Check the other board) So I'm a little apprehensive as to listening to his advice...We may have issues but we forget them we don't come out of the wood work just to stir the pot...

5/13/2010 1:26:29 PM

klancy

Westford, MA

"Whoa"!!
"...your quite ignorant..."
Hostile and a bit disjointed.

Lighten up a bit, the season's started!!!

5/13/2010 2:58:16 PM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

Have a good season Klancy...

5/15/2010 9:05:15 AM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

(Insert Seinfelf Voice here) Oh Hello Newman!

5/16/2010 5:25:02 PM

Peace, Wayne

Owensboro, Ky.

Kenny, before asking for any advice on what ferts, to use...it might be advantageous to tell folks, what stage of growth yer plants are in. In "R.i." (still prbly cool, at night").. I would think it is a lil early for any heavy fertilization...half dose of fish/seaweed might be okay...but it is a long season!! Under a hoop house, I would try and avoid anything on those young, tender leaves!! I would also think, that Jam's advice...following the recommendations of a soil test, would be the way to go. Hope this helps!! Peace, Wayne

5/18/2010 12:49:11 AM

pap

Rhode Island

the leaves will tell you the whole story kenny.

the ground is still cool so nitrogen is not as readily available to the plantsroots as it will be in a few weeks ( thats another reason why we like ingroundheating cables )

if you see the leaves getting pale green and they start to loose that darker green color they had a week or two ago? you will need to spray the leaves (on top and under leaves ) with a mild nitrogen rich water soluable fertalizer at half strength. this will bring the color back.

this is a mistake a lot of new growers make. they dont look for color chamges on their plants leaves.the leaves tell you almost everything you need to know.

5/18/2010 7:10:27 AM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

Right now my plants are at 5 to 6 leaves ad making steady growth. I had a minor set back a few days ago. One leaf on the 1596 and one on the 1288 was damaged. The hoophouses where a little to stuffy for the plants. By the time I got out there the leaf was wilted. And Its just a matter of time before the leaf will have to be pruned. The plants are slowly turning a nice green the 1596 has some yellow around some of the edges. Thats do to the compost that I layed down on the inside of the hoop house. The amonia that was present was unable to escape the airtight hoop house. I have since vented my plants and will continue to do so as long as the weather and temp will allow me to. I've lost a lot of Nitrogen due to the flooding we had in R.I. a lot of the ammendments went down the river you might say. So I have to buy plenty of store bought compost that I will be adding every chance I get as well as when money provides for me to do that....

5/18/2010 9:00:18 AM

North Shore Boyz

Mill Bay, British Columbia

pap...at what stage is OK to spray the leaves with a mild nitrogen mixture? I thought it was a no-no to even get the leaves wet during the first month of initial growth...

5/18/2010 1:45:48 PM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

I thought that using any fertilizer such as Miricle grow and other soluble fertilizers where a definite no no because of the high salt content of the mixture even in small doses. I used a seaweed and fish mixture on the leaves and the base of the plant in order to help to combat any nitrogen deficiency in the soil. I also understand that the soil being cooler then normal will not allow the available nitrogen to be taken in by the plant.

I added a whole lotta kelp and municipal compost that I had tested that had no toxic metals when preping the patch. plenty of it. North Shore brings up a good point...when is a mild nitrogen mix safe for the plant and what do you recomend. I've been told by plenty of growers to stay clear of products like miricle grow and to use caution when using blood meal and granular fertilizers like 10-10-10.

5/18/2010 2:20:53 PM

pap

Rhode Island

north shore getting the leaves wet during early morning is not a big deal at all.anytime for that matter is ok other than late evening when the small plants could stay damp all night.
we noticed our leaves getting a bit pale ( because the ground has not warmed fully yet and nitrogen is not working well in the soil )so we did three sorays over the course of a week and the color came right back.

kenny if you only spraying the plant and not drenching or soaking the soil then any high nitrogen fert will be ok.the high salts in some ferts are not good when watered into the soil but as a mild spray on a young plant? we dont have a problem with it.

5/19/2010 5:42:05 AM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98dai6CC5BA

5/19/2010 9:08:00 AM

North Shore Boyz

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Thanks Pap.

Glenn

5/19/2010 11:51:57 AM

Kennytheheat

Bristol R.I. USA

When you say spray Pap are you meaning with a sprayer or will a watering can be okay, Will you have to worry about burning the plant if you foliar feed the plant rather then spray..

5/19/2010 5:53:42 PM

Total Posts: 20 Current Server Time: 9/2/2024 11:26:09 AM
 
Fertilizing and Watering      Return to Board List
  Note: Sign In is required to reply or post messages.
 
Top of Page

Questions or comments? Send mail to Ken AT bigpumpkins.com.
Copyright © 1999-2024 BigPumpkins.com. All rights reserved.