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Kokomo, Indiana

Looking through diaries and seeing these huge 400-700 lbs monsters and wondering what the heck are yall feeding them? My pumpkin is 2 weeks old and was growing at a good rate then slowed waaay down. I'd say its probably around 30-40 pounds without measuring it out. I went and got some Dr. Earth fertilizer hope that it would help. Is there anything else that would put on some major pounds? Need it big for local Fire Dept fall festival. i'll try to start a diary later today. Thanks for ANY help. You can always email me if you dont want to give your secret way to others at Ryan4u2@aol.com.

7/31/2015 11:37:28 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

It all starts with the soil...

7/31/2015 1:07:09 PM

Saint Marys, PA

Hi Ryan!

Whenever I reply to a post like this I like to begin by saying I'm NOT a heavy hitter. Lol But I have done a lot of reading and research on this site and others and it may be starting to pay off.

So....like Linus said, a major factor in determining what to feed your pumpkins is a soil test. Doing one at the beginning of the year (and periodically throughout the year), will tell you where any over-abundance or deficiencies are occuring.

I don't think there is a "one size fits all" feeding program but there are a few basic principles to follow. From planting until my vine lays down I use a fertilizer high in phosphorous. Then, I switch to a fertilizer high in nitrogen until I feel the plant can support a big pumpkin. During pollination season I don't feed at all. (What does everyone else do??) Once the pumpkin hits about 10 DAP I switch to a high potassium fertilizer.

I asked your same question last year and I know what it's like not to get a direct answer so this is what I'm feeding my pumpkin in the next few days 23 DAP to say 29 DAP (Whenever I mix a fertilizer I use 1/4 to 1/3 the recommended amount and add some mychorizae to it too. Frequent weak feedings seem to be key.):

Tonight- 8-9-26 (NPK) and fish/seaweed blend drench
Tomorrow- liquid fish/seaweed foliar (just plain water drench)
Sunday- calcium nitrate drench
Monday- 8-9-26 and fish/seaweed blend drench
Tuesday- liquid fish/seaweed foliar (just plain water drench

Obviously all of that depends on how the plant looks and what the weather does. This turned into quite a long reply but hopefully it gets the ball rolling. Again, I'm not saying I'm right, it's just what I'm doing. Great question and good luck!

I welcome comments from anyone.

7/31/2015 2:52:07 PM

Onawa,Iowa

The next door cats weeks 1-5
week 6-10 gourmet road kill
from week 11-harvest a lot of attention
Good luck Ryan and I hope they fill
up your inbox

7/31/2015 3:08:42 PM

Kokomo, Indiana

Thanks for your reply KCGB! Trying my best here. Well this is what i've done up to this point.

Spring, catch plenty of crappies and walleye, toss the remains in the garden and tilled it up. Added 1/4 of a truck bed full horse manure in my small-ish area and tilled that in. Added Miracle Gro Bone meal and Blood meal too the patch. Planted the plant i started inside in some Dr. Earth potting soil. Then didnt have to water it cause it rain just about every day or every other day for 2 months.

Then started feeding the plant Miracle Gro "Tomato" and veggie fertilizer for a month. Seemed to do pretty good. Plant never wilted or leaves burn up.

Pollinated the pumpkin by hand. Ate the blossoms =)
Once the pumpkin took, it started doubling in size about every day or every other day. Thought it was pretty awesome and had high hopes!

I put 2 tarps up on wooded stakes for shade and then took a half sheet of insulation board and cut it in half and put it under the kin. Seemed to kept it happy.

Now i've been adding Dr. Earth spray fret. (high in fish/kelp/worm casting/seaweed and something else) Figured that would do the job in keeping it growing and happy.

Wed I did have to cut a few side vines that was waay past where they needed to go and i could finish mowing the yard. Hasnt added much weight since then. Usually water around 6pm before the skeeters come out. Water the whole planting area till i see standing water then shut it off. Get up in the morning before work and seen some spots dried up and some spots still wet. Stump looks green still, couple yellow spots, but the main vine itself is green with no cracks.(thank god). Bugs have not been a problem this yr. Thats all for now. I did measure it and its bigger than I thought, but still isnt big enough. (thats what she said ;) Hope this sucker picks back up and starts growing some more.

7/31/2015 3:26:30 PM

I think we all benefit from experience and from sharing with others what works and what doesn't. I use powdered seaweed, calcium, and a bloom booster. These are spread out over the week on specific days as a foliar feeding or a base feeding. I like the products shown on Holland's website. I switch off with Daconil and a biological fungicide for preventative maintenance against disease. I am inexperienced and learning, but I agree with an early season soil test. Do this next year for sure. See Christopher24's diary. I garden in a community plot and unfortunately there are many risks surrounding me due to poor practices by fellow gardeners. I try in any case like you. I just started this year with Advanced Nutrient products with good results. I also grow many of the various veggies and have for years for my family. You may want to begin switching to some organic feedings I mentioned. Miracle Gro has many synthetics and over time can sterilize the soil creating problems for the plants roots to expand and take up vital available nutrients. Good and bad nematodes also live side by side in your soil, so these can be destroyed over time using too many synthetics. (ex) When a house is built, it needs a strong stable foundation (basement or slab).

7/31/2015 7:38:43 PM

continues....

Plants, when given Miracle Gro or any similar product tend to be fast acting and stimulate top growth above ground without placing emphasis on the foundation (roots) which you cannot see. Chemical compounds capable of forming salts actually prevent valuable nutrient uptake by the plant's root systems. Water is vital, but you may be over watering to the point of compacting the soil as it dries. Check this especially if you have soil with a clay profile. Consider purchasing a cover crop such as buckwheat, alfalfa, or winter rye. All are very good at putting into the soil valuable nutrients. I hope this helps, but remember I am learning too. I have raised a lot veggies and took home last year many ribbons along with the largest Red Pontiac and red sweet potato ribbons at the Sandwich Fair. I also used synthetics for years when my kids were little, but over the last few years, I have learned loads here at this website. I recommend following what some are willing to share with you and see some new results. You won't be disappointed!!

7/31/2015 7:39:17 PM

sorry, but the character count is limited to 2000.

7/31/2015 7:39:50 PM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Good water helps

7/31/2015 10:20:02 PM

East Jordan, MI

Ryan,
Do you do a soil test? That is where you start. Get the soil balanced and at luxury capacity, then everything starts falling into place. Bryan Langley's Soil Calculator is perhaps the best tool in your toolbox, and if you need help using it ask. Bryan or I or probably a number of others will be more than willing to input your soil test and explain the output.

7/31/2015 10:30:58 PM

Kokomo, Indiana

Thanks fellas. That helps alot. I think the only place that MIGHT help me with a soil test is Purdue. I'll give that a shof next season. I'm just trying to learn the ropes here. I seen some products that id like to try on the websites. Everything is more "high tech pumpkin growing". More than id bargin for. But it is addicting! Thanks again

7/31/2015 10:58:24 PM

Going Green

I appreciate what keep cam and biddy goat said. It is not the same all over and the type of soil as well as soil on tent is major. My advice is find a local grower of Atlantic Giants who lives near you if possible. My guess is that your soil is predominantly clay. So I would recommend compost a foot deep at end of season. Then apply gypsum pellitized 40 pound bag per 1000 square feet. Get a soil sample over the winter and a new one in the spring. Learn how to read the soil sample and in the spring make adjustments.

8/4/2015 6:33:20 PM

Going Green

A pumpkin is a 150 day adventure. Germinate twice as many seeds as you are going to grow. Some will fail. After 1st leaf if your soil temp is 70 degrees you can place new pumpkin in ground. Dig an area 10 feet in circumference. Place additional gypsum, bone meal, blood meal and Lyme in this 10 foot area. Do not fertilize for 10 days. Use nitrogen fertilizer at half strength by watering 3 foot around the stump and all vines. Always water between and past the vines 3 feet. After the plant is 6 feet long switch to a high phosphorus fertilizer and water full strength everyday. Continue to use high phosphorus fertilizer until all pumpkins are basketball size or larger. Once all pumpkins are basketball or larger switch to high potassium. You will need an insecticide and a fungicide and beneficial bacteria along the way. Can't go in to that right now my battery on my phone is dying.

8/4/2015 6:47:17 PM

Springfield, VT

Lots of woodchuck tea, the more the bigger the pumpkin gets

8/4/2015 8:30:17 PM