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Stratford, Connecticut

Our "ORBIT" Irrigation Controller (not recommended) malfunctioned either Saturday or Sunday at 2PM & ran continuously until today at 10:30 AM. Our Pumpkin planter was overflowing water this morning a perhaps for quite some time prior.

The drying out will take several days for sure. Naturally all soluble plant nutrients will be gone so a good fertlizing is in order.

Any other thoughts or ideas? As can be seen in our photos, fungicides are not an option for us.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=13820

Thanks in advance for ideas.

8/25/2003 4:00:06 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Read somewher steve that hydrogen peroxide or zero tol will add oxygen to roots in flooded conditions...Can't prove that by me though. keep draining!!

8/25/2003 4:06:10 PM

Utah

can you siphon or pump out the excess water? that would help a little.

8/25/2003 5:18:07 PM

Montoursville, PA

When dry enough poke holes with a pointed instrument to let in oxygen. Maybe sharpen a half inch or three quarter inch wooden dowel. You need to wait until it dries up so as not to just bore holes in muck or mud. Working to wet will make compressed mud or muck.

8/25/2003 5:35:16 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Thanks guys. The water was syphoning when I left. I like the straight in with sharp tine idea. Minimizes root disruption. We do this on young putting greens & tees. It would be nice to follow this up with peroxide. But did we ever figure out a rate for hydrogen peroxide? I won't have time now to wait for calcium peroxide.

Steve

8/25/2003 7:14:30 PM

Montoursville, PA

You won't need chemicals if you poke those holes like you tenderize a steak. :) Might not hurt to lace it with molasses to flash the biological side of things. Two ounces per gallon of anything else you may add. I would bet a shot of fish fouliar run on to ground with molasses might be all the pick me up you need. Under those wet morbid conditions a shot of synthetic granular might burn the tiny root hairs trying to recover. Consider the plant a recovering individual. None of us want a full course meal when in early recovery from any serious illness.

My Rx runs right along with grandma's advice for sick bed nourishment. Bring on the chicken soup and herbal tea.

8/25/2003 7:52:40 PM

Oz

also find the lowest spot and dig a drain pit, syphon from pit.straw absorbs water.

8/25/2003 10:41:14 PM

Oz

and throw dry soil in there .let vines stay uncovered from new soil. peat moss absorbs 20 times its weight,,,,good stuff.any excess can be removed after it does all its absorbing. time for a pumpkin cam. schools have great net connections.

8/25/2003 10:45:20 PM

Oz

that powder that turns into a poly gel would help also.mix with peat,,,,hmmmmmm.

8/25/2003 10:46:24 PM

Montoursville, PA

Considerations: Dry peat floats on water and does not absorb water very well. Dry soil on top of wet soil will absorb and hold water but will not cause evaportion from the surface any better than just letting it dry from where you are.

A sump hole may be a good idea if it will fill and can be pumped out. If this is a raised bed it should drain out without a sump hole. Unless you created one hellofaw flood.

8/26/2003 10:23:57 AM

Oz

i knew this guy from amsterdam . he bought swamp land in canada. he drilled a hole in the ground and the water drained somewhere else....???

8/26/2003 10:52:55 AM

Long Island,New York

Tremor...the pumpkin regatta is supposed to be AFTER harvesting !!

8/26/2003 3:40:36 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Thanks G. I needed that.

I have wetting agents that will assist the drainage. But since the planter is elevated, it should drain well. I guess my main concern is for restoring fertility & life to that poor soil.

It's basically been through a washing machine now. Sort of like flushing the toilet.

I think this week will involve a gentle probing with a manure fork followed by an all organic poultry manure based fert. Then a drench (the only way it can be done darn it!) of beneficial bacterial soil bio-innoculant & molasses tea with just a smidgen of 20-20-20 (if it's dry enough).

Next week I can start ramping things back up if the plants & fruit aren't showing signs of major stress.

We'll see. It's the plants that decide in the end.

Steve

8/26/2003 6:42:43 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Who was that guy building the big boat telling all the animals "Only two" come on now rabbits I said 2....Hey next year make it the last stop of the tour....Patch Swim!!!

8/27/2003 7:37:13 AM