From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Minnesota([email protected])

I've noticed that if I have something covering the moist soil of my patch, the pumpkin roots grow up to the soil surface. I was thinking....let's say that, if normally your roots are 2-3" under the surface(without mulch), then it seems that if you mulch, you'd have an extra 2-3" layer of roots to feed the pumpkin. Is this a correct assumption? I'm thinking of mulching at least a good portion of my plants, to encourage more root growth. What do you think? Any negatives to this?

7/10/2007 3:24:24 PM

Wi

I'm still a bit up in the air on this. I'm having plant problems this year and am not sure if it's related to the mulch or not.

I do know that it keeps the soil nice and moist with VERY little watering / rain. I also agree that the roots will grow right to the surface. I am uncovering roots all the time...and BIG roots right at the surface.

The biggest benefit is you don't have to weed. I haven't spent a single hour weeding yet this year. Sure I pull a weed here and there, but I've NEVER been IN the plant weeding yet. Keeping myself out of the plant is a HUUUUGE benefit to the plant :) I'll bet I spent close to an hour per week per plant weeding last year.

The jury is still out here.

7/12/2007 11:20:14 AM

Georgia

Im not sure either to be honest I put hay down at the begining of the growing season and move it when the vines get buried. It can lead to disease though so weekly sprayings of disease control are neccesary. Its hard to say maybe a pro can help ya.

7/12/2007 11:51:48 AM

Wi

Dick and Ron Wallace = Pros.

They don't use leaf or grass mulch from what I've seen in other threads regarding this matter. Disease is their reason.

7/12/2007 12:14:17 PM

Western NY

i've had luck mulching with leaves before. not too concerned about disease here, but i'm sure it could be a problem for others.

7/12/2007 12:56:43 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks. I'm just wondering what diseases could be caused by mulching?

7/12/2007 1:14:14 PM

Amherst, WI

I've used mulch heavily the past 3 years. As soon as vines were buried, mulch is thrown on top and that was the end of crawling into the middle of the plant unless I needed a flower for pollinating. My reasoning was that we throw all these grass clippings and leaves on the compost pile, why not let a thin layer compost right in the patch with the side benifit of keeping the weeds down? How much more perfect could it be? Or is it too good to be true? I remember seeing a book about no-till gardening where mulching is used extensively, and the soil is rarely if ever turned over. I wish I would have bought it now, because it would be interesting to see if soil disease was a greater problem with this method. I have decided to not use mulch this year after seeing several posts mentioning the increased chance for disease, and would appreciate if anyone could share their experience with this, if the've had problems with mulch.

7/14/2007 10:32:53 AM