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Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

Wondered who could tell me what is the perfect amount of hail to incorperate in the patch? Last season I added too much, and at the wrong time. I have got wise in my old age, and now know that the perfect time to add hail is now, not in July. I have been very lucky, as we have had hail two of the past three days! Today alone, we have now just been rocked by our fourth hail storm. I think I added enough on the first day, though, uncovering for about 7 minutes. I think it may have been too much again, though. I lost some tips and a main vine tip, but the leaves sure look like they got just the right amount and the vines just a few nicks. Was this sufficient, or do I need more? I figure I should have stopped adding the hail about one minute earlier. Any suggestions?
OK... now you all really think I'm insane or joking now, huh? I'll make a post soon to explain what what I'm on here...

6/18/2004 1:12:12 AM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

Let me re phrase that....

I'll make a post soon to explain what what I'm on TO here...

LMAO....

6/18/2004 1:13:32 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

What doesn't kill 'em might just make 'em stronger...
But I DOUBT it!

6/18/2004 2:55:01 AM

Wichita, KS

Sounds like you may have over done it just a hair. But that's an improvement on last year's fiasco, right? I thought you were never going to stop adding hail last year! LOL

Btw, I am growing one of your seeds. check my diary. I thought I might have killed it when I transplanted it as I heard a couple of things snap in the rootball. I just about died... but it didn't! It slowed WAY down, but its starting to come back now. I gave it the best spot in the patch, too. :-D

Toby

6/18/2004 3:24:50 AM

Indiana

keep up the foliage aeration regiment

tom

6/18/2004 7:29:23 AM

Eveleth MN

Aerodynamic holes help keep the plant from getting blown around I a windstorm I heard.....

6/18/2004 7:41:56 AM

Western Pa.

A large "funnel shaped" contraption will help guide the glorious hail to your blossoms which should cool them and aid in fruit set. Hopefully, this will discourage funnel clouds from appearing, as it will be noted that you already posess a funnel.

6/18/2004 8:30:16 AM

Brillion Wisconsin

Freeze milk in the ice cube trays of your freezer. When you have a good pail full of milk ice cubes go out and dump it on your plants. It works better than regular hail and adds calcium too. lol Dean o

6/18/2004 8:41:41 AM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

OK, seems like I better keep plants protected again then against todays weather. Here is the NWS forcast {In raw format}, things may be worse today.
If this ends our drought, then I can deal with this...

TODAY...

LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BUSY WX DAY ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN CO...WITH STRONG THETA E RIDGE SETTING UP ACROSS THE AREA TODAY BEHIND LAST NIGHTS BOUNDARY. MODELS INDICATING ATMOSPHERE ONCE AGAIN PRIMED FOR SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT...WITH LIFTED INDICES BETWEEN -4C AND -6C... CAPES OF 1000 TO 3000 J/KG...ALONG WITH BULK SHEARS OF 50 TO 60 KTS... STRATUS BURN OFF AND SUBSEQUENT DESTABILIZATION WITH SOLAR HEATING WILL START AFTERNOON ACTION. MODELS SOUNDING INDICATE SIMILAR TIMING LIKE THE PAST 2 DAYS...WITH CU AND TCU LIKELY BUILDING ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PALMER DVD BY 1200 WITH STORMS BEGINNING TO FIRE BETWEEN 1-2 PM ACROSS THE I-25 CORRIDOR...

EXPECT HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND SEVERAL INCHES IN DEPTH AT MANY LOCATIONS...WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH THE MAIN THREATS...ALONG WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WITH DEEP MOISTURE IN PLACE AND SPECIFIC HUMIDITIES AROUND 5 G/KG. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY ACROSS THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS WITH THE STRONGEST SHEAR.

6/18/2004 1:29:24 PM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

I've thought back to what happened last year. Pumpkins seem to need some adversity {just NOT around or past pollination time}. I'll be able to compare one of my 3 competition plants, as my 735 Pukos got enough hail to piss me off all to hell. My main got shredded like cole slaw and I lost two side tips as well. The leaves have plenty of nice air holes {for extra ventilation}, and unfortunately, I've found females coming out of all the tips, all with damages that are minor, but would be major come late in the season. All my breeders got nice and beat all to hell, but all will rebound except perhaps one. If what happened last year happened around this date, I'm sure the 810 would
have got pissed off like it did {July 18th}, and end up growing me one over 1,000. I figure this is prime time to
have the plants deal with some type of stress factor. Some growers swear by keeping soil on the dry side{promoting deep roots},some don't bury vines for a long while {promoting more 'stump' roots}, and others don't shade cloth or mist early on {also promoting deep roots}. The type of stress we allow the plant will encourage the plant to deal with the problem by doing what we'd desire {usually to root more}. I'm betting hail damage, when minor and moderate, encourages the plant to grow and reproduce more agressively. This was the case last season. All but a few leaves were left on the 810, several vines massivly shredded, but the tip which was shaded had a fruit. I pollinated it a few days later, and it set, even though it had only a handfull of leaves to support a fruit. The fruit was slow to go, mainly doing everything in a 4 week time frame {666 in about 30 days of fruit growth}. It grew faster than any fruit I've ever seen.
So those of you who have some damages on some plants, keep an eye on them, they might be the ones that end up doing the best. Perhaps I might actually be on something here, huh?

6/18/2004 1:53:58 PM

Long Island,New York

Marc...collect the hail in a bucket and put it in the freezer...then you can apply it as needed in a hail-less period...maybe early on to promote hail resistence ? BTW, how much hail and when did it get applied when Joe S grew the 1000lber?....G

6/18/2004 2:23:33 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Marc, maybe you should join the Steveman club and let your plants have all of the wind, hail, frost, and everything else you can throw at them...lol..and oh do not water either as the drought will take care of them and make them grow even better...lol...the more they wilt the better off the plants are..that is why you want ventilated leaves and holes in your sides and main....

6/21/2004 2:24:57 AM