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San Diego

I am confused on something that is probably pretty simple. You amend the soil and get all the nutrients balanced with each other, and while the plant grows you fertilize. Here is what I don't understand: If you set up a balance in the soil, aren't you supposed to keep this balance and just fertilize with what is being taken from the soil by that plant? The Holland fertilizer program, just for example, fertilizes with products that are high in phosphorus in some parts of the year and high in nitrogen in other parts etc...I also read that this is how you do it. How does this effect the balance? Is it okay to be higher in some nutrients at special phases? Other nutrients can be tied up by this, right?

4/1/2015 5:01:52 PM

San Diego

By "taken from the soil from the plant," I mean to say, "what is being depleted." Obviously everything is being taken!

4/1/2015 5:03:16 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Your plant needs phosphorus early in the season for root development. But don't over-apply or it will hurt your mycorhizae. It needs nitrogen early in the season to stimulate the vine and leaf growth. But don't apply nitrogen close to pollination or your pumpkins will abort. Later in the season you need potassium to grow the fruit. But if you over-apply potassium you can cause your pumpkin to mature too quickly and stop growing. It is a delicate balance and it takes experience to get it right.

4/1/2015 7:05:08 PM

San Diego

I am aware of this. That is the reason for the question!
Why would it be that you get a delicate balance and then start adding all the fertilizers in for the different phases of plant growth. Doesn't this mess up the balance? Or are you just replacing nutrients that are being depleted.

4/1/2015 7:44:03 PM

Whitehall Montana

I always add fertilizer to push the fruit for size.There are a few that don't add anything after fruit set because they really pump up the soil with extras.The amended soil is a base line I feel and other additions during the season pushes for size and rate of growth.I measure my pumpkin every day and will add nitrogen pushing for bigger weight gains.

4/1/2015 8:03:30 PM

Central NY

yes

4/1/2015 8:07:24 PM

Muddy Waters

You need to fertilize with a well balanced mix.If your feeding it a balanced mix it wont throw it out of balance .You are replacing what the pant is using.If you over do it you will blow them up.Slow & steady wins the race!!

4/1/2015 8:31:15 PM

San Diego

Slim, you mean potassium for weight gains!?
Bubba, I think you have answered the question, but for clarification, should you try to keep all the nutrient levels at the level you wanted in the beginning no matter what phase the plant is in?

4/1/2015 9:22:30 PM

Whitehall Montana

Somebody correct on the potassium but my levels is off the chart and I push the nitrogen.I cant add any potassium or manure either.I get 1to 2 ft snow all winter and 1 to 2 " rain so get no weathering to wash it out.Have added lots of potting soil and leaves to increase OM and help break up the potassium.PH high at 7.8 so added 10 lbs sulfur to lower ph and unlock nutrients.You are lucky to have such great soil to start with.

4/1/2015 10:49:27 PM

San Diego

I understand what you mean. I don't have great soil though.
I decided I was going to give growing a second shot this year, but I made this decision less than a month ago, so I am very late with my preparation and am still waiting for the soil test results. However, according to a grower in my area, I don't need to start for another month and a half. From what he experiences, I may also be having the same potassium and ph problems in addition to salt. I just want to know all this in advance.

4/2/2015 12:10:56 AM

Whitehall Montana

Somebody.A lot of the high numbers can be leached out by running a sprinkler but that changes everything and requires another soil test.I also know with water shortage out your way that could be expensive but it could help adjust the high numbers.Another option is to find good black dirt with better numbers and replace your plot soil

4/2/2015 10:17:03 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Here is some advise.

Not all forms of npk are readily taken up in the roots through osmosis. This is because they are bound to other charged ions that prevent it. Just because p or k exists in high amounts in the soil doesn't mean they are ready for plant use. Foliar ferts are designed to counter this problem.

Running a sprinkler to wash out excess nutrients- nitrogen is typically highly water soluble while p and k are not. So excessive watering can deplete the available nitrogen while leaving the other nutrients in excess. Also what I know about San Diego right now is that excessive use of a sprinkler for this purpose is a big no-no.

Waiting six weeks to plant in San Diego? I would perhaps rethink that. It will be hot as hell soon, right? Check with Jim Fredricks he has it down.

Best of luck

4/2/2015 10:57:22 AM

Whitehall Montana

Thanks orangeneck

4/2/2015 11:09:00 AM

Georgetown, Ontario

By adding different fertilizers at different times we aren't disturbing the balance of nutrients, we are trying to predict what has been depleted from the soil and trying to keep the mineral and nutrient level balanced. Most of us just follow a proven fertilizer program rather than weekly soil and tissue tests to determine what really should be done mainly because of cost.

4/2/2015 12:09:24 PM

San Diego

The guy I talked to planted a week or so after May if I remember correctly, and he did not even make it to the weigh-off last year because his pumpkin had rotten away. I think he was pretty sure it had finally reached the 1000 pound mark he was waiting for. He is not planting until late this year, and advised me to do the same.
As a bonus...he has been close friends with Jim for many years now.

4/2/2015 12:12:59 PM

San Diego

Pumpkin Shepherd, that is exactly what I was asking...It doesn't make sense to build a balance and then mess it up, tying up other nutrients at the same time.

4/2/2015 12:16:51 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Must be Vince your talking about. They've been growing together down in your area for 10 plus years. Like Orangeneck said,,, listen to these guys. They know every aspect of growing these giants in your climate and would never lead you in the wrong direction.

Its always a plus when you have two of the best growers for your area so close. I'm 3 hours north of them and wish I lived closer so I could see what they do!

4/2/2015 12:48:23 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

"I'm 3 hours north of them and wish I lived closer so I could see what they do!"

I bet they are happy right where you are at, So Cal. Ouch!!

4/2/2015 1:06:07 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Insert happy face here ". "

4/2/2015 1:40:41 PM

San Diego

I knew it would only be few post and you would know who they were. How would you like it if Vince lived a few houses away?

4/2/2015 2:12:24 PM

San Diego

Up the same street...

4/2/2015 2:14:03 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Chris I have people moving to different states to get away from me

4/2/2015 9:51:13 PM

San Diego

I can see his pumpkins from my house...

4/2/2015 10:17:03 PM

Torrance, Ca.

lol Luke!

Yea, for Jim and Vince,,,,,,,,,, I would set up a camera in a tree so I could watch what they do in the patch!!

Make sure you make your way up to the weigh off this year with Vince. One of the best days you'll have!

4/2/2015 10:22:29 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Agreed, Jim and Vince do amazing things in their patch so would be ideal candidates to watch and learn from. I learned from Vince that you can grow over your driveway, and onto public property and grow a massive pumpkin in the process....and Jim, he's just a great grower!!

4/3/2015 1:49:05 PM

San Diego

That is something that I was wondering about if anyone can answer. If you are growing the half the plant over concrete like that, is the part of the plant over the concrete benefiting that pumpkin at all? All that part of the plant can do is photosynthesis and it seems that it would be sucking nutrients away instead of helping.

4/3/2015 2:26:28 PM

Germany

Somebody, imagine you had a plant in a big pot (of 10 sqft) and you have to decide whether to grow a plant as large as the soil surface allows (pot size) or as large as the plant would grow over concrete (perhaps 200 sqft)...what would you guess which plant would produce the bigger pumpkin...the 10 sqft or 200 sqft plant?

4/3/2015 2:39:22 PM

San Diego

I would imagine the bigger plant.

4/3/2015 3:23:29 PM

Torrance, Ca.

That driveway is key in producing a 1000 pounds for Vince.

4/3/2015 4:25:31 PM