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Paradise Mountain, New York

Some growers only plant two to three pumpkins. Some growers plant as many as ten to twelve pumpkins.So with all that has been said, How much time do you spend in your patch in the morning? At night? How many pumpkins do you plant each year? Do you get extra help in your patch from other family members? What works best for you at keeping weeds at a minimun? Do you put down boards to walk on? What works best for you at keeping powerdy mildew in control? Has mounding your soil helped you with stem rot?Have you tried Decon in the patch to control mice and rats? Ever try instant potatoes to kill mice? The mice will eat the dry instant potatoes and the potatoes will expand in there stomach before they can full digest them. Carbonated Soda in a saucer will also kill mice. Basically all of this is about the time and effort you put forth into it. Maybe some growers how plant six or more plants are retired or there wives grow them and the guys take all the credit for it....a little humor here guys.....

3/2/2005 9:08:02 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I started out in 2002 with two plants. This year I am going to try five. Maybe 6. I spend about a good hour in the morning in the patch. At night I spend as much as two hours in the patch. This year I will have help from my Lady friend with the weeding and teaching her how to grow Atlantic Giants.My son helps with the plowing and discing up the patch. Wish I could get him to help with the roto-tilling also.But he helps out with getting the pumpkins out of the patch in the fall.Boards to walk on are a must. With growing more then three to four plants, it's a pain moving them everyday in June and July as the plants grow.I have used Decon every year and it works great with the mice. I put put treated deck boards down under my pumpkins with three inches of sand on top of the boards. It keeps any chances of mice digging up under the pumpkin. Plus snails hate sand.Plus I spend time e-mailing different growers to get extra help on different ways of doing things to learn ways that they go about growing pumpkins.

3/2/2005 9:30:32 AM

Nova Scotia

i spend about 1hr per plant per day. if i include over all prep work then i would say 2hrs per plant per day. but if i include research and planning that would likely jump to 4hrs per plant per day. based on growing only one plant. and 120day growing season. totals= 120hrs, 240hrs, 480hrs

3/2/2005 11:15:38 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

I think many of us are caring (loving) their plants to death. Sometimes I think it is better to let them do their thing...
A clean patch and a healthy, well managed plant are necessary but some of the extras are not.

Martin

3/2/2005 4:33:47 PM

Puyallup, WA

Weeding in June and July takes the most time. I'd estimate about two hours per week per plant. About mid August, I am less "fastidious" about the weeds. About mid September, I could care less!! :>)

3/2/2005 5:02:49 PM

[email protected]

Two plants here at home. One hour some mornings especially up to & just after pollination. Afternoon weeding chores aren't too bad, scuffle hoe & a pole pruner where the roots are.

3/2/2005 6:19:23 PM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

I grew six plants last season. I spent at least an hour in the patch every morning, several hours in the evening especially in June and July, mainly weeding, training, pruning and burying. Less time is required very early and very late in the season. I didn’t use planks last year, but in the fall my soil was really tight. This year I will defiantly use planks.

3/3/2005 8:07:10 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

I spend about 1 hour per day on each of my 3 plants on weekdays and about 2 1/2 hours per plant on the weekend. I find the most time consuming things are spraying, and cutting all males but the ones I need off each plant every night. During pollination time my wife is a big help, however since she has changed jobs this year may be very challenging. I lay boards throughout all 3 patches, you'd be surprised what lumber companies throw in their dumpsters.
I control disease by not spraying every 10 days for it before it is ever present because when you see signs of it, our too late. I have been able to keep mildew at bay until mid-September over the last 2 years by just using Daconil and rotating a systemic in there every 3rd spraying. Last year we had quite a few voles tunneling around the 805 late but they never bothered the plant. The fruit is on mill fabric and sand so tunneling hasn't been an issue. Woodchucks, on the other hand, won the battle last year 5 attacks to one caught. This year, no mercy. One other thing I do is put up big tents to cover as much area as possible in each of the 3 patches by April 1 to start thawing and drying the ground. In mid september I cover the each plant entirely with floating row cover...50 degrees outside, 80 inside...until the sun goes down.
I've rambled enough, almost time to start putting up tents.

3/4/2005 6:49:23 AM