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Nj

I was wondering if it would be OK to till, and then put down weed mat, and grow on top of that? Would it get to hot during the summer days? If I grow on weed mat, it will cut my work down drastically, though, I will saccrifice burrying the vines

Thanks
John

4/4/2004 10:12:57 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

I think quite a few people tried it already with decent success. If I remember correctly Jack La Rue was one of them. Try to get in touch with him...
Martin

4/5/2004 4:52:14 AM

Roanoke Il

John the weed mat idea would work but ever where the leaf nodes are on the vine you would want to cut a hole in the matt to let the plant root there It is inportant to get as big of root system as possible to get a bigger fruit. Hope this helps mark.

4/5/2004 7:51:46 AM

C N Y

i will be trying this this year on at least one of my AGs.
Jack LaRue had done one like this using regular black plastic with a soaker hose coiled around under the plastic.
no burned leaves, no overhead watering whatsoever, and he got a, i think he said about a 500-600-pound fruit out of the deal. when i asked him about the weed-block as a soil
covering he seemed to think it was a good idea.
so i'll do it! (so'il) do it. i have done this with my tomato plants 3 years running, have ZERO weeds to contend with, and they do just fine. so why not pumpkins. exactly. i was afraid to dedicate a really good seed to experiment with, but if it works, more power to us! and yes, vine-rooting is a concern;
if the secondaries' roots do not do their thing and go right down through the weed-block on their own, even after being covered with a couple of shovelfuls of soil at the appropriate leaf nodes, then yes, a hole will need to be made for the roots to shoot down through, AND get buried.

i think next year perhaps a pumpkin "mentor" SHOULD be
at each table at the luncheon at the SEMINAR. it worked well for me---just an example----could you please pass me the salt, Sir? Oh, and by the weigh, do you have any spare 1016s in yer shirt pocket? Why, thank you!" hee hee hee...eg

4/6/2004 12:50:31 PM

C N Y

PS----very important---you don't want to use LANDSCAPE FABRIC----that will block EVERYTHING-----
just WeedBlock(tm)
which is made by EasyGardener
or similar, that has
tiny holes punched in it to let the water and air through,
but not the weeds or much sunlight at all. i'm getting psyched about it just by typing about the subject! good luck

4/6/2004 12:54:19 PM