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Denver, CO

I have yet again failed to get my last batch of seeds to germinate, had all 5 fail me ( thats 10 of 15 in three weeks after 100% sucess in the last 3 years)

Anyhow, like a fool, I planted two plants per spot ( a primary and a backup) and now dont have enough for my final two spots.

How can I dig up a 4 leafed plant ( about 2-1/2 weeks old) and replant it without disturbing the roots? Can this be done. I read where Joe Atlis pulled one completley out then threw it on a manure pile and have a very large pumpkin from it when all was said and done?

Any thoughts, techniques, admonsihments etc would be great!

5/20/2005 10:59:56 PM

Carrollton, Ga.

Hi,
I had a friend last year that dug up a 6' long ag plant with his shovel. He put it in a manure pile and got 2 good pumpkins on it. So it can be done.
Doug
1st cor. 3 ;7

5/20/2005 11:33:57 PM

San Diego

you can do it, just take as much dirt as possible when you dig it up. Use some vitamin B-1 after the transplant and water the crud out of it for a week and no fertilizer for 2 weeks at least. Jimmy

5/20/2005 11:42:43 PM

Deer Park WA

I would start another plant, your in Denver so its cold in the spring and fall anyway.. You will stunt the "4-leaf plant" if you dig it up so do it anyway and replant it, but start a back up and plant it a few feet away, keep the best one after a couple weeks..

5/21/2005 1:52:29 AM

Kiowa,Co.

hey,gad's,have you ever lived in Denver?.... Today it was 92 deg. here,and it is STILL SPRINGTIME;(Right now it is 72 deg. here at 1:45 am).
It has been WARM all week now,In fact we have mild temp's since the second week of march,(cooler,but not COLD)wich is normal for this area.
People are always having mis-conceptions about the weather here;I live only 65 mi. E. of Den.,but I have lived in Denver all my life,And I've often seen it hit 70 deg. in January.
Our fall weather is very mild as well,with the temp's GRADUALLY starting to get cooler about late Aug.,with normally sunny skies all day,in the 70's,untill late/early NOVEMBER.
I think It's funny that just because we are at 5,280ft.,people think we have cold weather all the time(or untill June,or something).Another mis-conception is that Denver is "IN THE MOUNTAINS",this is also not true.Denver is right up against the high FOOTHILLS OF THE MOUNTAINS,with the western suburb's right up close to the FOOTHILLS.
Another mis-conception:"Denver has such a short growing season"
Denver's growing season is about 162 days long,with the average 1st. frost being in LATE OCT.
We even have more sunny days a year than Miami,Fl. So,Gad's,all-in-all,I think this area is the best kept secret in the lower 48,and I would live no where else if I had a choice.I just think it is funny that there are people out there that will tell other people that Denver "IS FREEZING COLD ALL THE TIME",lol
Maybe if you can tell 10 people to tell 10 people that Denver is "cold in the spring,and fall"(not true,but ok),then maybe,just maybe we can hold on to our superior quality of life,as no one else will want to move here,and we will not have the population crunch of other parts of this Nation.
So quiet,don't let the secret out that Denver is actually a very nice place to live,ok?,ty(hehe)

5/21/2005 3:58:45 AM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

and then came the freeze of june 14 2004, and along with it.. 18.. hail storms ( no joke ) with average temps at 63 degrees nite temp avgs. 43 degrees along with a sept. 7 hard freeze.......such is the life of growing on the high desert plain of eastern colorado...what a challenge and roller coaster ride it is....hopefully 2005 will bring a pleasant growing season.... best wishes to all....jk....and denver stays warmer due to the smog cloud that holds in the heat in summer and cold inversion in winter...

5/21/2005 6:20:21 AM

Montoursville, PA

The best place, to grow one, in the Denver area, would be exactly fifteen yards, two feet and three inches below the timberline, on the North side, of Long's Peak.

I will pay big bucks, for two seeds, from any American Giant out, of that patch. ]:o)

5/21/2005 7:48:41 AM

Denver, CO

Thanks for the information! I guess the best approcah is the one that makes common sense, dig as much dirt up as possible. and start a back-up to plant along side, taking the best of the two.

And as is always the case here in Colorado, 92 deg today, 9.2 deg tommorrow. You just never know unitl about mid June.

5/21/2005 9:25:04 AM

Deer Park WA

I lived in Arvada, and Wheatridge both (Denver suburbs) for many years. I remember snow and cold well into May, and yes sometimes 92 degrees in May as well, that area seems to have even more unpreditable weather than here. Still I recommend ghopson that you start a back up.

5/21/2005 11:18:09 AM

Oz

COAL SHOVEL MAKES A GREAT TRANSPORT TOOL.

FLAT SPADE DOWN A FOOT/TWO,
,MORE IF YA CAN...
AROUND THE PLANT,
THEN TAKE TWO SHOVELS(FLAT IS BEST)
3/4 WAY DOWN
AND PUSH TWORD THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PLANT.

PUSH DOWN ON THE HANDLES THEN LIFT UP.
SLIDE THE COAL SHOVEL DOWN UNDER THE FLAT SPADES.
TRY TO LEAVE THE SHOVELS IN.

LIFT PLANT/DIRT UP ONTO THE GROUND,
AND DRAG WITH COAL SHOVEL TO NEW LOCATION.
POINT IN SAME DIRECTION THE PLANT WAS RUNNING.
You can prep the new pit with GOOD FOOD.

5/21/2005 11:20:07 AM

Applegate, Oregon

ghopson,

I dug up an AG with a 5 ft main vine and transplanted it last year, just to see what would happen and because it was an extra I had to get rid of to make room for something else. I remember that I was not able to keep most of the rootball intact. I mudded it in and the next day it was "dead." I didn't have time to deal with it till the next weekend, and didn't take the time to water it for those five days. On day six, up popped a new stem and leaf! It started vining in every direction, and I just let it go with little care except water. Never pruned or pollenated, and by mid October it had produced four open pollinated pumpkins; two over 400lbs and two others over 300lbs. It was stunted at first, but I think these things are tougher than we think once they have taken hold! I'd start some new ones, but it doesn't hurt to try, especially if you are going to just cull them anyway. Just be careful not to damage the one you plan to keep in each spot! Dale

5/21/2005 12:14:48 PM

Whidbey Island

I cut a vine off at the base one time, threw it on the ground and my father-in-law was able to root it and it grew. Be careful, but they will take quite a bit of stress and still pull through.

5/21/2005 8:29:11 PM

Denver, CO

Attempted to transplant the plant today. It was a quick growing 1059 Wentzel. The process went poorly, tried to use the shovels to hold together and take as much dirst as possible. However, it all just fell apart depsite the best efforts of the 3 of us. Anyhow, put it in the new spot, burried it up to the leaves and we will see what happens. Thanks for all the help, I will update as appropriate

5/22/2005 4:18:53 PM

Edwardsville, Il

I have been growing a patch with 30 plus plants for several years. With that many you will loose a few plants and need to transplant back ups; get as much dirt with the roots as you can; cover transplanted plant ASAP with dirt and heavily soak with water for 2 or 3 days, once per day. After 4-6 weeks I can't tell wich plants were transplanted and which were started. These plants are tough.

5/25/2005 11:30:53 PM