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Tasmania Australia

Hi, Just a basic general question i guess,
But is there a general rule on when you would start to fertilize your plants?
I have read that some don't recommend fertilizing then until a number of days after the fruit is set.
I am also guessing that you do want to fertilize a little bit right at the start to get the vines and leaves growing out in time before the fruit flowers start to appear though.

So do you hold of on the heavy fertilizing until a certain number of days after pollination?

Also just fertilize lightly with a balanced mixed fertiliser up until it is time to switch over to the heavy fertilizer?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

8/21/2020 7:35:21 PM

Watlington, UK

Before you add any kind of fertiliser, you need to do a soil test. For example, if your soil is high in K, there is no need to add more of it. Do a soil test, see what's needed, and take it from there.

8/22/2020 11:27:12 AM

Central NY

My advice is to find the articles of some of the big grows and see what they did. There quite a few out there, maybe the last gpc article?...We used to “lighten up” around that time but have heard and seen enough from the pros to know they they have a program and stick to it. I think Joel holland went into specific details with his grow and supplies those products to growers. Personally, when we plant, they pretty much are on their own for the first 10-14 days...then once a week feeding until fruit set, then twice a week feeding until the end. Another resource that helped me wrap my head around “ supercharged “ soil is joe altis’s soil fertility guide. Good luck bluesilver!,,.how long before you start?

8/22/2020 11:58:12 AM

Syracuse, NY

Indeed, a serious soil test would set the stage for a Great Pumpkin Experience, for sure---
else, here's the Lazy Boy's method:
I sustain my plants in my basement under fluorescent lights for as little time as i can, but that's usually at LEAST 10-21 days until my outdoors is ready, whereby i use Miracle-Gro 15-30-15 @ 1 TEAspoon per gallon of H2O to the point of flooding the peat pot and let it drain out the bottom of the ZipLoc bag i have each one in, to retain moisture in concert WITH the peat pot; once planted OUT, 1 TABLEspoon/gallon with a sprinkler can X 2 (contains 2 gallons)- drench city! - 2 X a week or as often as i get to each, whichever is lesser, lol;
there is also Joel Holland's BioGrow Endo Plus in the seed starting mix AND in the SS mix i plant each plant out into in the Grow Hole. Once i RUN OUT of the 15-30-15, or up until mature males are in the house, i use 24-8-16 MG, since that's the formula on the shelf most-recently;
then, back to 15-30-15 for the duration of pollination time. then, using up whatever's left and incorporating 1 quart of Molasses with my 55 gallons of H2O + remaining/buy more any fertilizer, amounting to 1 or 2 times a week per plant but never on a real schedule---i'd make a terrible parent!
Has never 'failed' me, and THIS year, when all i did along with years of adding Bio-Grow until '20 (i'm out for this year), horse manure and more recently, Alpaca manure to the soil was add 19-19-19 granular at the very beginning of '20 and tilled it in. Never had plants grow so well, fruits are all gaining and so good-lookin'. just gotta incorporate some more-serious pruning and vine-burying and then, i'll be a Heavy Hitter! eg

8/22/2020 10:01:10 PM

Tasmania Australia

Thanks for the replies, Appreciated.
I don't start to put them into the ground for at least another month, so a little while longer to go yet.

8/24/2020 2:46:07 AM