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PA

This coming season will be my third attempt at a giant. My first year I grew a 140. Second year a 196 and a 176 from the same plant which came from pandp seeds.
I'm totally addicted to growing them. The thing I could use some advice on is my soil. Heavy clay. I've tried using lots of cow manure, some peat moss leaved etc. It looks good at first but as the season go's on my soil looks very compacted and I try to step on it as little as possible. Also my fruits seem to ripen prematurly even though I shade them. I would appreciate all the help I could get. I love this addiction.
Thanks,
Amy

2/14/2000 6:46:17 PM

Bristol,CT

First you need to verify that your soil is truly clay. I live in the Northeast and always thought I had clay soil. However, a soil test determined that I really have glacier till which is composed of a densely packed sandy loam containing many rocks. You can send a sample out to a lab or self test. If I remember from my Master Gardener course, take a pint or quart jar and fill it 1/3 with soil. Fill within 1 inch of the top with water and cover. Shake vigorously for 2 minutes. The heavy particles will settle very quickly (stone fragments and clay). The silt will settle within the next 20 secs and the fine sand may take a day or so. By comparing the thickness of each level, you can get a rough comparison of the soil content. Clay soil would have 50-70% clay with the remaining split between silt and sand. If you do have clay, then you can add gypsum.
You should continue to add organic material as you have been doing. I wouldn't be overly concerned about some compaction as long as water penetrates the surface and does not run off.
As for the premature riping, when is the female flower pollinated? You should target pollination between July 1-10 with intense growth in late July through August. Once the shorter days and cooler nights of September arrive, growth will subside.

2/16/2000 5:59:46 PM