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Location

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Mill Bay, British Columbia

I know this has been talked about a bit before and a couple of well respected growers have provided input, (http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=70219)but I would like to know how many of us prepare the planting area and dig a planting area/pit and amend it specially.

I do because it was advised to me by people I respect and because in my patch I plant in different spots each year which helps me to improve the soil deeper in those spots as I move about the rotation of the patch.

Some do, some don't...Why?

2/21/2005 12:00:25 AM

Deer Park, WI

I do not like the idea of a "pit" for a couple reasons. First, the drainage of water is signficantly affected by these pits. If the composition of the material in the pit is different than that of the soil surrounding it, you will either have a water resevoir, or too fast drainage.

Secondly, the roots of these plants expand so far out your pit would have to be the size of your growing area. A 3x3x3' is insignificant when you consider the plant as a whole.

I favor amending the whole growing area rather than one small section.

2/21/2005 9:10:57 AM

Joliet, IL

i dug pits last year and it was the last year i will dig pits. based on research like the below article, i have found
that the initial tap root will go as deep as it can
until the soil is too hard to penetrate, but not to much
advantage of the plant. the laterals running off the deeper
roots are shorter and more insiginficant as compared to
the laterals more towards the surface. why create an
inconcistent soil profile from the pit to the rest of
the patch like Jose said and effect moisture levels
either way. the pit in theory sounds like a good idea,
but with research i found that it is a lot of work for
no real scientific benefit. for those who swear by
digging pits, i am not saying you are wrong. if it works
for you to grow bigger pumpkins, than that is all that
matters. but the majority of the extensive root systems
of cucurbits is in the top 16".

last year my pits were over 7' wide by 3.5' deep.
now the neighbors can be rest assured i am not a serial
killer hiding my victims in my pumpkin patch.
(would humans count as adding organic material?....
just kidding.)

that's my opinion, so now its time for the pit diggers
to bury me and my comments. lol.

shazzy


http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/010137veg.roots/010137ch32.html

2/22/2005 6:18:31 AM

Applegate, Oregon

I like the advice I got from Brett Hester...make the whole patch a glory hole!

2/22/2005 8:16:23 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Thanks. Great reading in that article!!

2/26/2005 12:51:28 PM

Vancouver, White Rock, Canada

My pit area is 10' X 6' across, and about 3' deep. As for the rest of the growing area, it's anybody's guess what's in there (I can't expand it too much, as I'm limited in my urban growing area).

2/27/2005 7:09:48 PM