From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Kutztown, PA

Anyone out there taking tissue test at different stages of growth throughout the season. Seems pretty expensive, depending on how many your growing.

3/2/2022 4:09:17 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

Waypoint Analytical is $13 for a tissue test. I did 3 tests per plant last year. I will do multiple tests this year too. I'll have more plants, so I'm not sure I'll do 3 on each plant.

3/2/2022 4:34:41 PM

Columbia, Kentucky

I do two test, one 7-10 days before pollination and one 14 days after pollination. That way I can get things dialed in before the pumpkin sink takes over.

3/2/2022 8:01:29 PM

Western NY

2012 was my last tissue test. I might try again this year if I see something with potential.

3/2/2022 8:06:20 PM

Lodi, California

Would be nice to see the results of tissue tests on the plants that grew the biggest pumpkins. Tissue tests are kinda useless without a reference, and the suggestions that the lab gives are a good baseline to eliminate any deficiencies, but I think they're geared more toward optimizing yield for the cost, which has always been the goal for large scale farming

3/2/2022 8:45:16 PM

Grittyville, WA

I've found them to be helpful in terms of improved plant growth. I dont think every nutrient is directly essential to the pumpkin, but a bigger healthier plant can potentially deliver more of the nutrients which are essential.

3/2/2022 9:56:09 PM

Watlington, UK

A couple of years ago I did a tissue test on leaves before and after the fruit, it might be of interest:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=316821

3/3/2022 4:54:48 AM

Georgia

Ashton, the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Growers put out a great glossy quarterly newsletter. I always enjoy the December issues which contain articles from growers who had great seasons and they normally include laboratory reports.

I have the December 2019 newsletter on my desk at work. In that issue, Karl Haist recaps his year of growing his 2019 world champion 2517 pumpkin. The article included a 6/27 tissue test and a 4/9 soil report. Plus the club has virtual weigh-off contests where you have best in class and random winners. You should check them out, a tremendous bang for the buck.

3/3/2022 10:08:39 AM

Kutztown, PA

Gerald - I took a look at the tissue test results on the link you provided. Were you able to test after your calcium/boron applications to see if that helped?

It seems to me that a tissue test done at similar times to what Scott_B stated above would be a good route to go. That way maybe you can get what you need to into the pumpkin before it's to late. I guess any info is good info, but timing seems critical. It probably comes down to how quickly can a plant take up a deficient nutrient and what's the best method to make the nutrient available immediately. Am I wrong?

3/3/2022 11:22:55 AM

Grittyville, WA

It should uptake soluble/chelated minerals near instantly. Improvements in growth should be immediate.

3/3/2022 3:54:03 PM