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Kentucky

I’m sure this has been worked over but I’m aiming this at Kentucky growers. I think my best year was a rainy one but disease is terrible. How do you handle clay is ground that appears damp two days after a rain? I presume the plant is drinking but I can’t drench ferts if the ground stays wet. Maybe I’m overthinking this but I’d really like to push growth as much as I’m able. Plants look reasonably good but I’d just really want get those pounds I’d be missing without extra plant nutrition. Thanks all.

7/17/2023 10:51:36 AM

Kentucky

As an amendment to the above post I am foliar spraying in the mornings and some evenings with nutrients and fungicide/pesticide mixes in an attempt to overcome wet ground issues.

7/17/2023 10:54:52 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I grow in clay even after trying to bust it up over the years and add OM and some sand. Overwatering will lead to disease and rot. After rains, drenches just have to take a back seat until I see it drying out or a good forecast. Gently aerating with a pitchfork helps it dry faster. Be careful not to bust up roots. I'm also pretty close to a natural spring and creek.

I know Andy H deals with a lot of drainage issues and flooding, maybe he will see this.

7/17/2023 11:54:15 AM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

All of the above. Like both of you, my soil is clay based, I have a stream going around our property and the patch is close to the water table. I added 15+ yards of aged compost and I know it’s working to a degree. One of my plants, was the most robust, is suffering now. It’s on the patch closest to the stream. The other two are further away and fully recovered, I’m happy to say even after record rainfall. I’m seriously considering having drain tile installed this fall.

The name of the game now is disease and pest control which it looks like you are on top of already.

7/17/2023 6:57:26 PM

Syracuse, NY

What I've been doing lately and enjoying the exercise of running to and from the next valve at each plant is 'Splash Watering' my plants - Overhead watering just long enough to cover the surfaces of the leaves and that is in about 1-2 minutes at varying degrees of Whizzer radius to cover the entire plant, but not drench it.
I was low on supply of my stuff butt now I'm back up. Will give them now, though, each a 2-hour light rain equivalent with straight water. I had a marble of a squash yesterday. Today it is a Bouncy Ball. Tomorrow? Ooooohhh...eg

7/17/2023 9:51:34 PM