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Maryland

Hello everyone, im new to the board although i have posted two questions already recently. Anyways I just wanted to say thanks for any help you all give me. Im from maryland anf have tried growing a few pumpkins in the past but i never had success. I have a small flat growing area next to a steep hill. My soil conditions are pretty piss poor with alot of clay and shale rock. Due to the bad soil ive bought enough soil and compost and manure to start the plants off in mounds. I have a few sunny areas that I am trying to capitalize on.

If i get pumpkins to grow this year i will be using them as decorations in my wedding in November. So here is to hoping for a couple pumpkins. I have only generic giant pumpkin seeds from Lowes but im hoping to get a 100 pounder or two.

I will be using RAW fertilzer and plan on burying pats of my vines.

The issues i had growing 2 years ago was pumpkin and vine rot. Im hoping that mounding will help with that and i plan on growing the pumpkin on a board.

Well thats my growing situation. Looking forward to this board. Wish me luck!

Respectfully, BigRick

6/11/2018 12:08:56 AM

Maryland

Also does anyone think it would be worthwhile time wise to get a good genetic seed and try to grow it as quickly as possibly, or do you think that the time has passed and I should stick only with what is already growing.

If I should get a good seed, does anyone have suggestions where to buy, and any specific seeds that I should look into like a higher weight atlantic etc.

thanks

6/11/2018 1:48:11 AM

Syracuse, NY

I'm always incredibly behind, so it's too bad we are not close neighbors, lol---if you'd consider moving to central NY by Wednesday, i have about a dozen plants needing a home through then; otherwise, for better OTHERS' advice, what specific pumpkin seeds are you growing, and how many are there and to what lengths in feet are the main vines? my guess is that there'll be a mix of both opinions, and i, myself have seen several of LAST year's pumpkin seeds naturally sprouting in-patch, even after tilling the patches, at a pretty good maturity level (2nd true leaf) as compared to THIS year's bunch that i am putting in---just finished up yesterday (!)...so, Nature knows...anything is possible---eg

6/11/2018 3:12:53 AM

Maryland

Hahha ill pass on the move though i do like the adirondacks.

I have some atlantic giants from lowes and some big max.

My biggest so far has 5 leaves, or maybe the fitth is what is going to be the first vine. All my other plants have 4 leaves. I planted two plants per mound, not sure how long i should wait to thin the mound to one plant.

6/11/2018 3:23:13 AM

Syracuse, NY

okay, thanks and please do not overdo it with the fertilizer;
follow recommended rates only ((usually 1 tablespoon per gallon of water---i use 2 gals. per plant in about a 2' diameter circle, essentially, and i SHOULD do it every 3.5 days, lol, 1ce per week minimally); 15-30-15 formulation is best for establishing a good root system) and in lieu of a greenhouse or hoop house, use 2-3-foot bamboo stakes to keep the leaves from becoming kites in the wind...wind is your worst enemy, imho; go to the home page and click on Grower Diaries, pick 2 or 3 that have plenty of pictures and go relatively closely to what anyone else has done---with a '18 diary, you can be a copycat and that'll save you from a lot of wondering, even if the types of plants are different----Good Luck! eg

6/11/2018 4:51:07 AM

Maryland

Thanks for the advice pumpkinpal

6/11/2018 5:13:24 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I wish you were closer. I have an orphan that never got planted in a 35 gallon tub.

6/11/2018 7:44:41 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Your goals of 100 lbs is two can be obtained with any Atlantic giant seed, even from Lowe’s. Your issues are insect and disease controls, that’s why you are getting the rot. Use this season to learn that part of it.

Vine rot- that’s probably from squash vine borer larvae. Go on amazon prime, get some imadecloprid 75% or otherwise go to allowed, get some bayer tree and shrub insecticide granules. Get a good all purpose fungicide like daconil. This will get you to the end of the season at least. There’s much more to know, but this is the foundation of a control program.

What part of Maryland? Lots of shale, sounds like you are west of Baltimore. I am from that area.

6/11/2018 8:25:55 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Otherwise go to Lowe’s. *

6/11/2018 8:26:42 AM

Maryland

W8 is alil far linus lol

Orangeneck im close to cumberland so about 2 hours west of bmore. Illremeber those tips. My plants are geowing fast but the edges are yellow al of a sudden this morning ugh and theres torn holes in them.

6/11/2018 10:12:55 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

If your leaves are torn, it is probably the wind brushing them against support stakes or something along those lines. Have a look and see if that is an easy fix. Not to worry about unless they are completely shredded. In 3 weeks youll have forgotten all about them. If on the other hand they appear eaten. Then is probably cucumber beetles. You need a contact insecticide for this. This would be my third suggestion for must have in your control program. Bifen IT is the general preference for us guys. The brand name is talstar but you can get the generic for cheaper. If you can’t Find that at Lowe’s, go for something off the shelf labeled as a pyrethrum like Triazacide. This combined with the imadecloprid will knock the bugs flat.

Which exit off rt 68 are you at? I’ll be passing through there the week of July 4 headed to deep creek.

6/12/2018 9:24:39 AM

Maryland

I dotn think its the wind , i checked all of lowes none of their products have imadecloprid ... maybe its not allowed in maryland.... i got sevins liquid sprayer for now... ill see if i can order the other from amazon. I think its around exit 40 i never paid attention to the number just the street name of exit 220 south ... o yeah i love deep creek area... id be heading to kings dominion that friday

Also i got bought daconil and rot stop which has calcium in it. I aprayed calcium this morning and ill spray the sevins later this evening or tommorow... for now though i have to get some sleep got of 10 hours of night ahift at 8am... later

6/12/2018 10:41:28 AM

Syracuse, NY

in case you actually need it, i faked a MD search and it appears that it IS available--the spelling is very important:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1NDCM_enUS743US744&ei=CP4fW5fbA4bqjwTCuoPwDg&q=imidacloprid+at+lowes&oq=imidacloprid+at+lowes&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.35i39k1.3537.3537.0.6679.1.1.0.0.0.0.313.313.3-1.1.0....0...1.2.64.psy-ab..0.1.310....0.Ngb0oVgq_ks

Google imidacloprid at lowe's select a product that says 'Lowe's' under it and then select MD in the state or whatever 'find a store' drop-down window you find. i have some that goes onto a hose end---i run it into a 1-gallon plastic jug and then transfer some of it into a spray bottle for smaller jobs---eg---cuke beetle damage looks like hundreds of little holes grouped together in several spots on any number of leaves, fyi---eaten leaves, caused by a caterpillar or chewing insect, are usually on the edges of the leaves where the critter can hold the leaves between their suction-cup feet and chow down edgewise on them---i lastly think that slug damage is evident if there are random holes in a leaf, usually near the stem of the plant, on the first couple of leaves very near the stem, where they can eat and retreat, hiding under whatever during the day and chowing when you're not around---eg

6/12/2018 1:32:28 PM