From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ohio

I have noticed in a few diarys ,SOUTHERN *CougH* *CougH*(Not just you Kyle,lol) that alot of people will build a good mound of great soil in about lets say a 7 by 7 foot area and start there young plant in that mound, the rest of the garden soil is covered with grass that is never cut and just let to grow. Once the plant vines out onto the grass they start to cover the vines with a great compost manure dirt that they have mixed up.
Ok , now here is my question, and I think Im going to try this on 1 of my 3 plants next year, If I do the mound part, like a 5 foot area with the best compost manure mix this side of the ohio valley, and leave my grassy area planted in RYE.(rememeber RYE does THE BODY GOOD) oops,, my bad thats milk. anyway,,, I WOULD NOT till this rye in, I would just let it keep growing all summer long. (keeping it trimmed down with a mulching mower.Rye grass will grow all summer right?,lol) let the vines grow over top of the rye and cover just the vines with the dirt i have mixed up. RYE grass is great to till in in the spring right? why not use rye grass instead of regular grass. WHEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW I,m sweatin on that one!! That took alot of brain power to type and think that one up. So what u think? Think it will work? I See people doing this all the time letting the the vines grow over top of there grass(maybe its rye grass and im typing this for nothing,lol) and then covering the vines with dirt, And they grow some Giants too If I was to use Rye grass instead of yard grass, wouldnt u think that it would work alot better?
Im Just trying to think of diffrent ways to growing pumpkins thats all,lol....Wellllll, thanks for letting me vent, even though it prolly didnt make any sence and most of my words was mis-spelled,lol
Brooks

8/2/2004 5:28:43 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I will stick with the old method of tilling an area of 20' x 30' for each pumpkin. I feel the "lawn method" steals alot from the potential of the pumpkin. If you look at the top growers patches they spend hours a week weeding and pruning. I know Kyle does this for some of his pumpkins in the front yard, but his patch is tilled and weeded. Got to do the work to get the payback.

8/2/2004 6:10:44 AM

[email protected]

Ditto the grass. Kyle does this for carvers. That's fine.

Competition grade fruit (if that's what you're after) shaould never have to compete for nutrients.

If the grass is expendable enough to let the vines damage it, then I think a tiller provides more of the results we need than a mower.

8/2/2004 6:42:14 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

I pull weeds in my "real" patches but don't worry about it in the yard..what would be the point?
Brooks..don't try and grow in the rye, it'll cost you some weight when all is said and done.
BTW....I have an unexpected serious grower going in that grass. 940 Mombert '00 on a secondary that's putting on 20-25 a day now and just measured 99"cc yesterday at Day 30. No signs of it slowing down either. *Statistically*, it's the best grower I have.

8/2/2004 9:26:22 AM

Ohio

Well that answers my question,lol, I just thought rye grass would help it along more like as in nutrients, but i guess it does have to be composted before the plant could get anything out of it, but i see what your saying. Kyle, just think if that plant was in your good garden with out the grass, what u expect or guess it might be weighing? Just for chit and Giggles.
Brooks

8/2/2004 11:08:56 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

Brooks...It'd be about the same I think. I suscribe to the theory that a particular pumpkin, on a particular plant, is somewhat pre-destined to grow at a certain pace and to a certain size, all things being equal. I amended my yard pretty well this Spring, and it tested very well except for the pH.

8/3/2004 12:27:41 AM