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Big Rapids, Michigan

This my first year growing pumpkins but last year I had quite a weed problem in my garden and was barely able to keep up with it. My garden is about 2000 sqft and I plan to add about that much more for my pumpkins. Are there any suggestions that would help with the weeds?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

Jeremy

3/13/2006 12:52:09 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

MULCH. Grass clippings, straw, etc. It shades out the weeds and holds in moisture for your pumpkins. It makes pulling weeds easier. And if you need nitrogen fertilizer, try corn gluten meal. It is 10% nitrogen and a natural pre-emergence herbicide. It won't kill growing weeds, but will likk off any newly germinationg seeds.

3/13/2006 1:33:48 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

weeds are a daily chore, miss a day and you now have twice as many, i have used mulches in the past such as grass and straw, also black weedblock fabric, cuts down on weeds and watering but also provides a place for insect pests to hide, mostly now i take care of the weeds by hand either by pulling, hoeing or tilling, a small hand-hoe is good for getting inbetween the vines,however tilling is only done in the areas where the plants are not yet established and at a distance from the roots.

3/13/2006 2:09:32 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

others will strongly disagree with this but I have had excellent results with using Roundup ahead of the growing plant and under the leaf canopy of the established plant. I will be using this approach as my main approach to weeding this year again.

3/13/2006 3:20:52 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Yep....Roundup is great.
Clear plastic sheeting laid out in early spring works good too. Just rip it up ahead of the advancing vines.

3/13/2006 4:43:41 PM

Youngstown, Ohio

Has anyone used the product "PREEN" I used Preen and Green one year and ended up with a 548# and no weeds! It keeps them from germinating. Any thoughts???

4/6/2006 8:45:23 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Preen's active ingredient is trifluralin which is labeled for use in Cucurbits. It is known to root prune a little bit so the really competitive growers won't even consider it. For the average backyard grower the small weight loss might be a tolerable exchange.

4/6/2006 10:23:08 PM