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Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

I had my soil tested and the PH reading was 6.9 Before the test cane back I had been thinking about adding peat moss that I have in abundance on my property. I've read the peat moss has a PH of about 4.8
So now I'm wondering if I will mess up my patch by adding any peat moss, or do I tinker with the soil / peat moss ration and drive the PH down to say 6.5

Any thoughts?

3/17/2012 4:00:58 PM

Piqua, Ohio

if you put peat on you should apply a high calcium low magnesium lime I like to grow with PH of 7.0

3/17/2012 8:24:50 PM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

Thanks Melons. I thought I had read somewhere the Giant Pumpkins did best at a lower PH. I don't need to add the peat so at PH 6.9 I should be fine....Thanks

3/18/2012 8:37:38 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

7.2-7.4 is a real sweet spot for microbes. Some of the biggest giant pumpkins have been grown in soil that had a Ph between 7.2-7.4, it even appears that some very well known giant melon growers have realized the same about melons.

3/18/2012 8:54:29 AM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

Interesting....Thank you.

3/18/2012 9:11:36 AM

Muddy Waters

The old #s of 6-7 for melons & kins,needs a 2nd look folks,I grew the 260.5 starting with a PH of 8.0 & ended season with a 7.4,We have to keep an open mind.everything we hear or read is not gospel from the past.These giant veggies are a different animal from regular veggies.The potassium levels are now being said to be real important,like the calcium,was & is important.These old #s have been around for decades & we just picked them up from the X-purts.I was told a year ago my PH was too high.your greenhouse is to big.Yesterday I learned at OVGPG seminar.The bigger the greenhouse the better,Nic Welty did a great job on hoop houses.I hope to put together a nice screen house presentation for a future seminar if the Kin Cave Rocks!Optium PH to shoot for 7.5 is my guess.

3/18/2012 9:26:55 AM

Piqua, Ohio

I agree with Tom when I started growing AG's I was told 6.5 was best, but as the years go by I'm told 7.0-7.4, I have heavy clay ground that started out at 7.6 I got it down to 6.8,now I'm sitting at 7.0. I've been told over 7.0 your potassium leaches out, but what I know about field crops, you can put in chemicals to keep your nutrients in the soil, not the watershed. A product I use is called retain and can be purchased at most gardn centers.

3/18/2012 9:28:33 AM

South Hero, VT

Forage radishes accumulate potassium and nitrogen in large quantities, in addition to trace elements, according to some reports I read today.

I can't speak from experience, but plan to plant a radish cover crop in late summer to amend my clay soil.

3/18/2012 11:21:30 AM

Piqua, Ohio

I know a few farmers who use tillage radishes for cover crops I also have thought of trying it, for now I use sedan grass and sorgum, maybe I'll throw some radishes out in one of my patches

3/18/2012 1:55:57 PM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

Well lots of food for thought. All my other nutrient tests came back good except for nitrogen. I have lots of organic matter. Am I correct to assume that by using a bacteria based soup I can increase the nitrogen content?

3/18/2012 2:19:49 PM

South Hero, VT

Contact Tom Privitera about nitrogen fertilizers. My plants weren't growing very fast until I got some 30-0-0 liquid nitrogen from him and applied it. Results in less than a week.

Your organic matter may be causing the low N reading.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong on this.

3/18/2012 5:22:50 PM

Muddy Waters

It does take nitrogen to break down organic matter.So makes sense to me Steve.

3/18/2012 5:57:40 PM

South Hero, VT

pburdon, consider sending your test results to Tom Privitera. He helped me a lot last year by making recommendations I followed and upped my personal best by 331 lbs(581 to 912).

He will charge you only for the products you order from him. lol

3/18/2012 8:44:43 PM

Massachusetts

you also might get some candy!!

3/18/2012 10:10:52 PM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

Does anyone have contact info for Tom Privitera?

3/19/2012 8:34:00 AM

churchville, ny

www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Sales@extremepumpkinstore.com

3/19/2012 9:33:34 AM

Braceville, IL

warning about radishes. if you plant them and they decompose in the fall they stink!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3/20/2012 4:08:18 PM

South Hero, VT

Farmkid: YES! The odor has been described as similar to a strong gas leak--or worse...

3/20/2012 7:10:36 PM

Colorado

7.2 is what john taberna said at vegas.He's the western lab owner. They did the studies with with the grower group two years ago

3/22/2012 12:15:09 PM

President - GPC

7.2 Hmmn...Nice!

3/22/2012 1:04:50 PM

The North Coast

Quick...get me some lime!

3/24/2012 8:18:16 PM