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[email protected]

An interesting windfall this morning.
Thirteen miles from my house.
Sun up to sundown - no trees & no shade.
Free water 500 gallons per day
Deep old farm topsoil - nothing grown here for at least 5 years.
The amendments, friend & tractor arrive there tomorrow at 1PM so no pressure.

Now the question.

The area we have is 25' x 80'.

No matter how I dice it this seems like 4 plants. Plants staggered at 12', 30'. 50' & 68'.

Opinions? Suggestions? Cool diagrams?

4/22/2007 1:57:03 PM

Wallingford,CT

only three at most if you want to do it right...........

4/22/2007 2:14:42 PM

Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

Steve, I agree with Bart. I have a two 30 x 80 and have tried five, four and three. Three is by far the best it allows you the room to get in and out and keep things acess1ble.

4/22/2007 2:30:15 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Nice windfall Steve, I'd go with 3 plants and give yourself some extra room between plants. Gonna put a few miles on your car/truck going back and forth.....hope you do great....new soil...should be interesting.

4/22/2007 2:32:09 PM

Danville, CA ([email protected])

Steve

4 Sounds right to me as well. Are you doing opposing Christmas tree style? Would seem to maximize early secondaries which was apparently important to Ron's success. Alternatively you could do 3 good sized areas and 1 genetic, or maybe long gourds?

Sounds like a GREAT windfall. Very happy for you Steve as this is really what you needed. Good Luck!!

4/22/2007 2:41:12 PM

Midwest

Steve, 4 plants......plant back to back at 20'and 60'..
20' mains and 12' sides....Good Luck..CK

4/22/2007 4:01:48 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Steve,
I'd go with three myself. Two plants back-to-back at 25'.(5 ft. between these back-to-back plants...so one would be starting 25' from one end of patch, the other at 30'). Last plant 25' from the other end of the patch. 12.5' secondaries on each side, if doing Christmas tree configuration. This is about the size of my main pumpkin plot in our vegetable garden.
Congrats Steve. Sounds like a very promising patch. I hope you have Wallace-type results....like Ron and Dick....not refering to myself, of course LOL.

Doug Wallace

4/22/2007 4:41:34 PM

[email protected]

I already drive about 30,000 miles per year so this is no burden. The real windfall is the fact a friend/co-worker lives walking distance to this location. He's always home at sundown so I'll have him do the spraying. Like me he is a certified applicator with 25 years of experience.

Three or four??????? hmmmm

4/22/2007 5:54:03 PM

Long Island,New York

Four....you enter one at Durham and CT...he enters one at Durham and CT.

4/22/2007 7:25:47 PM

[email protected]

That would be a fine plan G except I'm too honest for my own good & the Town of Woodbridge (owner of the land) get's one for Town Hall.

4/22/2007 8:09:32 PM

Spanish Ontario

HI STEVE
three plants is my guess gives you 700 ft per plant my patch is 8000sq ft planting 8 plants i try to keep all plant,s at 650 sq feet BEST OF LUCK KEN

4/22/2007 10:02:58 PM

Indiana

4 plants.....go back to back with them 4 ft apart. That gives you roughly 18 ft for the main vine, and 12 ft sides

4/23/2007 12:22:58 AM

van isle b.c. canada

i grow 8 plants ( back to back ) 4 a side on a patch that is 50 x 80 it,s tight but works quite well. so you could do 4 , one 10 ft from end then next one 20 ft further then the next 20 ft further and last one 20 foot further. this should give 10 ft from end. craig

4/23/2007 1:16:59 AM

southwest MO

Plant 4... One is bound to crap out on you... Then you can manage the area for 3.

4/23/2007 1:57:07 PM

Long Island,New York

I'm confused with the honesty part. Whats the dishonest part? The guy is spraying for you....bugs and fungisides and foliar feeding. He'll also be doing the irrigation and the covering and uncovering fruit, and opening and closing hoophouses before you know it. Two growers....two fruit. Give the town the pkn after the contest...just drive the loaded truck over there after the event.

4/23/2007 5:52:14 PM