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Durham, N.C., USA

I'm a decent gardener but new to the world of pumpkins, so a question.

My strategy for growing vine crops has been to plant in a big hill, say 4' across and maybe a foot high, with the hill surrounded by black plastic and wheat straw. Looks good and no weeds. Any problem doing the same with the pumpkins?

8/15/2001 7:40:46 AM

Rexburg, Idaho

I think the heat retained by the plastic would help greatly, however one of the key points in growing these giants is burying the vines. With the plastic in place you would'nt be able the bury them which is probably more critcal then the heat. Just my two cents.

8/15/2001 8:26:05 AM

Western Pa.

Why not the best of both worlds? Up North here, we start our Carolina cross watermelons in black plastic to warm the soil in early Spring, then cut it away once the weather warms up. Leaving the plastic on with AG's would limit the amount of water the "covered" stump and vines could receive.

another 2 cents,
kilr

8/15/2001 9:54:19 AM

Ga.

could always go with drip irrigation and black plastic,,only 20 miles from Florida,,,and its done with melons for the market down here...

8/15/2001 10:59:52 AM

Durham, N.C., USA

I've got drip irrigation on the hill. The plastic begins on the perimiter of the hill. I.E. There's a 4' hole cut in the plastic.

I've seen spots on the vines that appeared to be trying to put down roots. That's what prompted the question. Here's another.....Explain burying the vines. I'll acquire the books needed but in the meantime....shed some light.

8/15/2001 2:06:23 PM

Chester Co., PA

AG pumpkins send out roots from each leaf node. Now will they find soil, water and nutrients if there is a plastic barrier in the way? Kilr has a good point but removal of the plastic could be damaging and difficult.

The straw is a good idea and it would limit the weeds.

8/15/2001 2:28:06 PM

Western Pa.

All vines should be covered with soil. Some growers actually dig a trench in front of the vines, and fill it in as they grow. It's harder for the SVB to get into your vines when they are covered, it also protects the plant from uprooting during sudden wind gusts. Everywhere there is a leaf on the vine, the plant will send out a tap root on the bottom as well as one on top. By covering the vines, the plant can feed over the whole surface area of the plant, instead of just at the stump. This maximizes water and fertilizer absorption!

8/15/2001 2:28:34 PM

Durham, N.C., USA

It all sounds logical, although getting a visual on covering all the vines is tough. I assume we're talking about after a pumpkin has set and been designated as the one. Remember, the first time I ever heard of an AG was a week or two ago when I stumbled onto this site. So I should bury the stump? How soon?

Sorry folks. I'm not looking for miracles this year, but I do find this interesting. Hence all the questions.I'll have to get the books before next year.

8/15/2001 7:49:26 PM

St. George, NB Canada

Whoops? Did I get this right? I should be burying every vine segment? (Except presumably several feet either side of the pumpkin?) I've been burying between the leaf areas, about every 3rd one; sounds like I should be more aggressive. Bill C.

8/15/2001 8:02:53 PM

Ga.

Cover the whole vine,,it will look like the leaf stems are coming out of the ground,,,you must stop within 3 ft. of each side a pumpkin is going to be to allow for the growth of the pumpkin,,,something I didnt do,,,I had to dig the vine up,,but all is ok now,,I think..

8/15/2001 8:26:10 PM

GULFPORT,MISSISSIPPI

This is wht i've been doing for the last couple of years in my patch. after i til the garden, i put the pages from our local newspaper,two to three pages thick, on the ground to cover up all exposed dirt except the mounds with the seed. Then i cover the newspaper with hay. this prevents the weeds from growing. the newspaper degrades very quickly and allows water into the soil and the tap roots penetrate with ease! it helps give the garden a clean look. Give it a try next year. i think you'll be happy with the results.

8/15/2001 10:40:27 PM

St. George, NB Canada

Got it, thanks. Bill C.

8/16/2001 5:31:50 AM

Durham, N.C., USA

Greenhorn.....Do you avoid the colored sections of the newspaper or do you go ahead and put those down as well? I tried the newspaper and trying to avoid the colored sections made it a thankless task. Our local paper seems to have as much color as black and white. If you're using the color sections, have you seen any ill effects from it?

8/16/2001 2:02:04 PM

GULFPORT,MISSISSIPPI

JMB3, I use everything and have not seen any problems. It definitly gives the patch a cleaner look and cuts back on the weeding enormously. I have noticed that whenever the vines send a tap root down into a Lowe's or Home Depot ad, that the plant seems to really take off!! :)

8/18/2001 1:16:41 AM

St. George, NB Canada

JMB3, similar findings in my patch (look for fertilizer sales). I've seen discussions on exactly this topic with opinion put forward that the color inks now used are non-toxic dyes that have been adopted for environmental reasons as the technology has matured; therefore perfectly safe to use. Bill C.

8/18/2001 9:02:28 AM

Durham, N.C., USA

Thanks folks.....That's GOOD news. I've got enough newspaper to cover the globe. Well, maybe just my little part of it. Next year I'll pull up the plastic and put down the papers and I'll flag all the appropriate adds. :)

While I'm bugging yall, (southern for yous guys) If you cover the paper with wheat straw or hay, do you have a lot of seeds from the straw to germinate? I mulched before with no paper or plastic and thought I'd have to rent a combine. Almost as bad as weeds.

8/18/2001 9:38:08 AM

Buffalo, NY

Try straw instead of hay. Hay is usually the top half of the plant with seed heads, while straw is usually the bottom half (I think.) I'm sure a REAL farmer will correct me on this.

Mark

8/18/2001 9:43:53 AM

St. George, NB Canada

Straw. Same stuff that's in your old broom.

8/18/2001 11:54:03 AM

Liverpool , England

Yo Korney,
Straw is the stalk off wheat, maize etc , while hay is dried grass...which is why animals eat hay and use straw for bedding.

Alun

8/18/2001 8:58:26 PM

Buffalo, NY

I don't know about brooms (corn broom?), wheat, maize(corn?), dried grass, etc. All I know is that if I buy a bale of straw, it costs more than a bale of hay, and the hay if tilled in as organic matter ends up sprouting and the straw doesn't. I do know that straw is used for bedding & hay is for feed, but as per my local farmers supply store, the straw doesn't have all of the seedheads. Is alfalfa straw or hay? or dried grass? Maybe we lost something in translation (trans-Atlantic?) or, maybe a real farmer corrected me on this like I predicted above.

Now, can someone reply by post or e-mail to my ongoing dillemma:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=5708

Thanks.
Mark
(a city slicker, not a real farmer.)

8/18/2001 11:26:02 PM

Shreveport, Louisiana

Grass clippings and mulched leaves make great mulch for a pumpkin patch. Just make sure you don't use grass that has been sprayed with something like Weed B Gone. After mowing my front and back yard, the neighbors front and back yard, the empty lot next door I still had to make a few trips down through the woods to get enough to cover the patch (100' x 100') up in a two inch layer.

8/18/2001 11:37:43 PM

Durham, N.C., USA

I'll make some inquireies this week and see what I can come up with for the N.C. perspective. I buy WHEAT straw because it's cheap. $3 a bale for a BIG bale. I've been assuming that "wheat" straw (the same stuff used on freshly seeded lawns) is the by product of combined (harvested) wheat. But trust me, it contains plenty of seeds. I've considered using hay but I bet it's twice the price. My favorite farm supply store is just full of "good ole boys" and professinal farmers. We shall see.

8/19/2001 9:48:37 AM

Rexburg, Idaho

Around here "hay" generally refers to alfalfa. It is cut long before it goes into seed so there is little risk of causing weed probelems in your garden. It is great organic matter. I chopped a 25 bales last fall and tilled it in with the leaves and manure. This year it is expensive (165 dollars a ton) and I won't be doing that. It can be used as a mulch but it clumps together more than straw does and is harder to spread. Straw has lots of seeds in it but the wheat/oats/barley are fairly easy to kill so it's not a real weed probelm.

8/19/2001 10:23:32 AM