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Enumclaw, Washington

Here in Washington when Halloween is over there are truck loads of field pumpkins available for free just pick them up. I am worried that I might bring a raft of problems into my patch by this. Any thoughts?

I would assume that the dry mater ratio would need to be quite high to deal with the high level of moisture in the pumpkins. Would sawdust give me problems? I have heard that wood chips rob the soil of available nitrogen.

10/10/2007 11:48:20 AM

Sheridan . NY

ok yep this is good source--but yep hay sawdust for dry-- check ph of all that you are or will be make a compost with --your makeing a cake mix shoot for 6.3 to mix with your soil what ever your patch ph is---remember just about anything will compost---i would suggest you let it set 1-2 years then do another ph ck and a test---craig

10/10/2007 12:02:14 PM

Enumclaw, Washington

What about diseases from the feild pumpkins?

10/10/2007 12:36:54 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

We send ours threw a goat,sheep or rabbit 1st and have no problems :)

10/10/2007 1:48:34 PM

Long Island,New York

I wouldn't even attempt it knowing what a disease will do to your growing future. Can it transfer into your patch?......I'll bet it can. Once you have it...you will always have it.At best, you might be able to control it but I think the number one goal for any giant pkn grower should be disease prevention. You can lose a plant to splits one year and be successful the next....or the wind may take you down or critters, but the next year you can be fine. But if disease takes tou down this year...expect it forever. Worth the risk?......only you can decide that.

10/10/2007 4:12:42 PM

Enumclaw, Washington

Good point thanks ....I think I will not bring any outside pumpkins to my place. Still looking for a good sorce of biomass/veggi for my compost pile. Any ideas on a free sorce in large amounts? Spent/moldy hay is 2$ a bail here.

10/10/2007 8:11:23 PM

San Jose [email protected]

go to your local horse stable, they give it away here. check your local for sometimes free compost,

10/10/2007 9:55:04 PM

Enumclaw, Washington

I have all the poop I could ever want. I am just looking for some decomposed plant food. Horse poop tends to be high in weed seeds.

10/11/2007 1:42:10 AM