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Dagobah Ohio, USA

I have been lurking around this board off and on since I was pointed in this direction by a friend who turned me on to Giant Pumpkin Growing.
Last year was my first attempt at growing these Fabulous Pumpkins. I used Seeds I purchased from the Howard Dill Site and finished the year with three large puympkins with the largest being 300lbs.
All pumpkins were fed using an Organic Compost/Manure Tea which I feed my vegetable garden with.

This year I now have 12 pumpkin sites with my main focus being on a Pumpkin I am growing in an ebb and Flow module that I built myself.

I will be experimenting with various methods of fertilization, including organic, chemical and hydroponic chemical.

Most of the pumpkins I will be growing this year are seeds from the largest of my last years pumpkins.

Pumpkin seeds were germinated in containers and then transplanted last week into Mounds which I built from Topsoil, Composted Cow Manure, Mushroom Compost, recycled houseplant soil and hydroton/lecaton.

I started the Hydroponic Pumpkin "856 Dill" in seed starter then placed it into a woman's hose in order to transplant it into the Leca. The pumpkin was placed outdoors approximately 3 weeks ago, suffered UV poisoning, frost, transplanting and survived it all.
The vine is now well on it's way growing at approximately 6 inches per day and very healthy looking at approximately 3 feet long.
It is in a container which holds 150 liters of lecaton is being fed using General Hydroponics Nutrients and PH is kept around 6.8.

Pics to some for all who may be interested.
Friendly Pharmer

5/22/2004 7:58:28 AM

Western Pa.

Where's Dagobah?

5/22/2004 10:12:17 AM

North Ga

Must be Italian! LOL

5/22/2004 11:04:53 AM

Kenyon, Mn.

Hmmm, don't know! Seems a must do tho, will ask!

5/22/2004 12:19:08 PM

Dagobah Ohio, USA

Dagobah is a mysterious and dangerous planet located in the Northern Quadrant of the Sluis sector.
It's not on any charts/maps but I am surprised you have never heard of it.

Mr. Bumpy, email recieved but not sure which co-incidence would you be refering to?

A question for you Guru's. Has there ever been a hydroponically grown pumpkin recorded on this msg board.

i am winging it on the nurient strength and would appreciate any links or resources that I might be directed to.
Thank You.

5/22/2004 1:03:09 PM

Wichita, KS

you have all heard of Degobah. Its where Yoda used to live.

"I met him in a swamp down in Degobah,
where it bubbles all the time
like a giant carbonated soda.
S-o-d-a, soda." --Weird Al Yankovic (in a song about Luke Skywalker, sung to the tune of the Kinks, "Lola")

5/22/2004 1:57:40 PM

Western Pa.

Friendly Pharmer,

You don't know Jill, do you?

5/22/2004 2:15:58 PM

[email protected]

Well hello FP & welcome! Hydroponic AG's are my not so secret fantasy. I am envious. Ebb & Flow huh? I was thinking of a used hot-tub filled with crushed coconut & calcined clay. The necessary plumbing fittings are preinstalled for the most part. The rest shouldn't be too difficult.

A shallow inground swimming pool might be better though.

I am not aware of any large Pumpkins grown hydroponically yet, but there are some who have dabbled.

Please send pictures. Perhaps I can help with fertility issues.

Steve

5/22/2004 2:18:23 PM

Hayes, Virginia

LOL> KILRPUMPKINS<
IM JILL!!!!
I GREW A 2,500LB PUMPKIN USING HER ADVICE.
BUT I DIDNT WANNA TELL ANYONE!!!

LONG LIVE JILL

5/22/2004 5:57:15 PM

Dagobah Ohio, USA

I have a few pics up now but I understand they must be reviewed prior to being publically posted.
I have offered soem explaination of what my experiment consist of.
Feel free to ask any questions and any advice you may have would be appreciated.

FriendlyPharmer

5/23/2004 10:33:52 PM

Western Pa.

FP,

It appears that your plant has outgrown your system.I think Bill Fornoff was an early pioneer in hydroponic AGs. He grew 700-800# pumpkins on a mound of sand, in nearby Conneaut Lake, Pa. Unfortunately, Bill has passed on.

5/24/2004 9:20:08 AM

Dagobah Ohio, USA

Outgrown the system?

The 30+ gallon container should support a very large Primary root mass.
I have decided to take the experiment completely hydroponic and will be building the support structure this week as time permits. Each secondary rooting system off of the vine will be fed by it's own ebb and flow container.
I noticed 1/4" secondary rooting forming on the first and second nodes this morning.

This will be quite a challenge.

5/24/2004 10:13:44 AM

Dagobah Ohio, USA

I will be researching Bill's hydropnic grow but it doesn't sound simialr to this method.
Thank you for the 411. :thumbsup:

5/24/2004 10:16:32 AM

[email protected]

FP,

I like what you have done. I agree it may prove too small. But this concept has to start somewhere. Kudos!

Have you considered a pond liner? You can berm some soil in a patern slightly larger than the plants finished size. Lay in the liner. Then fill.

Where did you get that rootzone media?

5/24/2004 12:20:36 PM

Dagobah Ohio, USA

What you are describing would be ideal but considering the size of the plant we are growing here a small pond would be required for use as a reserviour.
I do expect to have to increase the current reserviour to at least 50 gallon and still have to change out or top off at least weekly. I should easily be able to gauge exactly how much water an AG intakes in a certain period of time.
I should also be able to effieciently study root growth and mass using this method.

The secondary rooting will be fed by one or more seperate reserviours and control units.

The medium was purchased online at www.cropking.com .

I hope to put on a great show for those who find this interesting.
IMO,, My greatest challenge should be keeping the pumpkins for growing too fast and exoploding.. ;)

5/24/2004 1:16:31 PM

Wichita, KS

FP... Your experiment rocks. I wish you the best and will be looking into your diary as often as you update.

Here's a thought for the secondary rooting system... 25 feet of seamless gutters. They are reasonably inexpensive and should require little setup. shouldn't be too difficult to keep the vine running along the gutter and drainage adjustment would be simple in theory. Just a thought.

Toby

5/24/2004 4:54:16 PM

Dagobah Ohio, USA

Now that IS a Very good idea! I may use it next year but I am currently on a restricted budget so I'll be using what I have laying around this year.
Thank you for your input. That would work very well, for a deeper container vinyl fence post could be used with holes drilled for roots to access the medium.
Updated Diary Tonight.
Be back in a week.
Until then,, may your vines Grow Thick, Long and Hearty.

5/24/2004 10:13:00 PM

[email protected]

6" sewer & drain pipe can de sliced open too. Pricey though.

5/24/2004 11:55:25 PM

Phoenix Az

do you have mildew in dagobah? You should move to Tatooween thats where I live. :)

5/25/2004 3:33:20 AM

Dagobah Ohio, USA

No PM as of yet but I have the neem ready to do battle. ;)
Update.
Hydro punkin was 89" long as of yesterday, tossing out secondary vines, the first two are @ 14" long this morning.
Noticed what looks to be a punkin in the new growth at the end of the vine.
Patch is looking good despite the inclement weather. :thumbsup:

6/1/2004 8:34:21 AM