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Abbotsford BC

I just got my soil test results back after a good season (800+lber and 500+lber off a secondary on one plant).

Are these the levels you would expect in the (200-250 square feet plot) of soil that produced these fruit:

N=10
P W=0 M3=63
K=80
S=6
Ca=1551
Mg=127
Fe=73
Cu=1.4
Zn=4.4
B=0.69
Mn=10.9
CL=28
PH 6.324
Ed(ds/m)=.308
OM=6.7%

Only thing I can come up with is the 15 wheelbarrows of thick black compost I piled around the mound must have fed the deficiencies here. However, the vines and tap roots were incredibly vigorous—even where the soil was deficient. When sampling, I sampled the whole patch and then mixed together. I also mixed the entire patch up to a depth of two feet—especially where the compost was piled on. To my surprise, most of the compost had disappeared and there was a noticeable ammonia smell coming from the soil.

What else could account for this? What does this say about all the “optimal” levels preached by the so-called experts? How much is really technique-specific as opposed to soil dependent?

11/3/2006 4:29:14 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

NEW patch = huge pumpkins.

By the time most growers have a clue they already have soil pathogens.

We should all make the effort to soil test & amend the patch BEFORE growing. Then only grow in that spot once before taking a 1-2 year break.

If this is the soil test results from AFTER the successful season then I don't find it very unusual.

11/3/2006 6:04:25 PM

Walkerton Ont

I hope i have that luck, i have to start new patch in spring, got to spray round up till add manure, etc. I already started with leaf pile mixing it in with the manure, i hope i can have a semi good season at least. Sad thing is i cant do nothing till spring

11/4/2006 8:35:35 AM

Abbotsford BC

I don't necessarily think NEW patch = huge pumpkins, nor do I think it was blind luck either. This is my second year growing in the same spot. Using your logic most first time growers would end up with humongous fruit--which is, more often than not, simply not true.

What I meant to say when I posted my soil results is: Soil aside what other factors are hugely important in contributing to the growth of the fruit and a successful plant?

An agro friend of mine says he has seen a study that shows that the nutrient uptake of grape plants is extremely minimal--in other words the fruit comes from sun and water.

How important is proper irrigation and sun exposure, and how does it compare in importance to good soil? Or average soil? Or poor soil?

11/4/2006 12:14:05 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

Our first year growing we grew a 721.5 lb fruit with almost no soil amendments and a fairly mediocre soil test. After two years of dumping the manure and compost on, our soil is now has an excellent soil test and we grew 943 this year. Is this totally from improved soil conditions? I think not. Is it a contributing factor? For sure. Certainly good luck was a factor the first year, now I think we are helping the luck along with a little experience. 1000 lbs is close, so close we can smell it....next year?....hmmm

If you want to exceed at growing giant pumpkins, you have to understand that it is an art and that it requires everything to be in place and conditions to be as perfect as possible every step of the way. They are luxury feeders of nutrients but organic material does as much to improve soil structure, tilth and water holding capacity as provide nutrients. Good soil can be created. How long that takes depends a lot on what you start with. My soil is heavy clay. It is miserable to work with and goes like cement in the summer time. It is getting better as my OM rises. We are at about 10% OM now. Some would say that high enough. My task now is to get a layer of topsoil at least a foot deep over the whole patch at 10%. And to improve the soil structure so that it doesn’t go to cement in the summer.

11/4/2006 9:45:16 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I had planned to grow a squash last season and plowed/tilled up a new patch in partial shade. However, I ran across the genetics of the 1314 Beauchiem and knew that I had to plant that instead. I added a load of compost from the county recycling center, 30-0-4 slow release, and dried kelp before tilling. I watered/foliar fertilized weekly with Seamix. I ended up with my PB of 1213, all I can say is what would it have been if I would have had the patch in better condition.

11/4/2006 10:47:06 PM

Roanoke Il

most growers in the midwest have to contribute there great year not to soil improvements or seed genetics but the weather was perfect hot june july normal augs plenty of rain in aug...mark

11/4/2006 10:57:25 PM