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Follansbee, Wv

I am planting AG's for the first time next spring. I have been reading everything I can, and have decided to go with a buried drip irrigation system. Since I will be growing two plants, I am planning on having 8 zones in my system. Zoning will be as follows: 1 zone each for the stumps, 1 zone each for the main vines and two zones each for secondaries.
My question is, approximately how far apart do secondary vines grow off of the main? I wish I could see one of these plants growing, anybody near Wheeling, Wv, Steubenville, Oh or Pittsburgh, Pa?

9/27/2004 8:32:33 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Keep reading what ya can...christmas tree pattern seem to go with 12 foot side vines on average. Everyone has their own preference but let's say 500 square feet is what you want 12 foot sides with 20 foot main...must get the great books with all the pictures! htgwcpIII as advertised on the site.
Grow Em Big! Chuck

9/28/2004 7:05:46 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I've never measured secondary vine location. But on average, I'd say the can fall as close as 18" (too close) to 3-4 feet apart from each other on the main vine.

Some growers remove every other secondary to keep the plant open & easier to manage.

Other times we might have to remove a secondary that is interfering with a fruit set. I've tripped over & snapped them too.

Determining where secondary vines will appear 9is a little like a crap shoot. It might be best to trace drip lines in straight lines parallel to the main & zone 2 at a time. ie

#1 Zone dedicated to the basal crown (stump -sic)
#2 Zone with one pipe on either side of main.
#3 Zone the next two parallel lines out side of the main zone.
#4 Zone, same configuration but the next furthest parallel.

etc to the out edge of the designated area where the seconmdary vines are to be terminated.

9/28/2004 7:56:34 AM

Topsfield, Ma.

Excellent idea with the zone configuration. I will have to rework my drip system next season. Suffered root rot on both plants at the mound because drip was tightly configured in this area and couldn't regulate it!

9/28/2004 8:17:36 PM

Follansbee, Wv

I am still working on the design and will post pics of the final product when it's complete. If all goes as planned, each zone will be capable of receiving different amounts of water at different depths. I just have to figure out how much water each part of the plant needs.

9/28/2004 8:55:18 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Well, the final design is complete:
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=28847

I have done some calculations and I have some estimates for zone watering:
Zone 1 Pit: 19.5 gal/week
Zone 2 Main: 44 gal/week
zones 3-6 secondaries: 88 gal/week each

That's a total of about 415 gallons per week. Does this sound appropriate?

This should supply the equivalent of 1" of rainfall per week. Of course the actuall amounts will be determined by plant usage, but I can use this as a guide. Spreading this out over two or three waterings a week should provide a constant, steady moisture supply with little fluctuation. Rain guages in the patch will be used to monitor mother natures input and those amounts subtracted from the watering schedule.

Now, before I go to far and actually implement this stratagy, I would love to have some input from other growers. Is this a disaster in the making? Have I overlooked something? Should I stick with beans and tomatoes? Have my head examined?

10/3/2004 12:47:10 PM