From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Canada

My patch is sandy loam first 12" then the rest of the way down its pretty much sandy soil. Last year the patch was new and my first year growing in it, I ended up with an 648.8 lb pumpkin ( just one plant roughly 650 sqft , from the time the pumpkin hit day 15 and started to actually take off I started dumping an 55 gallon drum of water over the patch every morning then at night i would add another 35 gallons, My patch dries out pretty quick specially the summer we had last year, This year I am running a better watering system that will be run off a timer, with the new set up I can deliver 3.2 Gallons per Minute, My patch was expanded in the fall to just under 1100 sq ft, I am growing 2 plants this season side by side flag pattern, some questions i have are :

1. when do you normally start adding more water? as the fruit passes day 15 and starts to take off?

2. How do i know if im supplying too much or too little water?

3. am I better off dividing up the watering? like say if the patch needs 100 gallons a day dumping 50 gallons in the early morning, then dumping another 50 gallons in early afternoon or just do the 100 gallons early in the morning so the plant has enough time to dry off to prevent PM?

from most growers ive talked with 100 Gallons a day per plant is about normal some say 150 gallons per day per plant some say less,

thanks
Dave

4/27/2012 1:19:47 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

You can get a soil moisture meter..there is a fancy name for it that I can remember

4/27/2012 5:41:54 AM

The North Coast

They say one inch a week ballpark, for your 550 sqft plants that adds up to around 50 gallons a day per plant.

With your sandy soil you may require a bit more but caution should be used. Too much water will drain the soluble nutrients in the soil. Potassium will freely rinse out of the soil in most cases.

If you can scratch one inch down and see moist dirt you may be fine. More than one inch deep and you may need to water.

4/27/2012 8:16:07 AM

Rhode Island

dave

the way you described your patch sounds a lot like one of the two patches we grew in last year. ( a plot that had been rested with grass covering for the previous 5 years )

the soil even though it had been loaded with cow manure years earlier was very sandy so leaching water and nutrients was a concern.for that reason we had to use a lot more ammended soil drenches and watered more than normal but our results were steller.personally?, i rather have a soil that drains well rather than one that holds to much moisture. its that good balance between sand and organic matter we strive to get. (our organic matter is presently at 10% ,with leaf and manure composts added each winter or early spring)

with regard to watering we have alway let our experience and weather forcasts tell us when and how much to water.
to much and you can get a lazy top rooted growth plus invite disease problems and to little ? can also hinder the plants growth.
looking at and feeling down into the soils top several inches can tell you all you need to know regarding the need for water as well.

pap

4/27/2012 8:22:07 AM

Canada

Thanks Dave

4/27/2012 10:45:46 AM