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New Brunswick

I have been applying 20 20 20 fertilizer at the rate of 5 to 10 mils daily to each pumpkin stump. I read in here yesterday that using 20 20 20 to often can "bung" up the pumpkin....what does "bung" mean??? Also I have an odd shaped pumpkin that has its sides extending over the blossem end. Do I follow the pumpkin contours to measure it or go straight across over the blossem end with my tape?Here is the link for it in my diary http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=26487

8/23/2004 8:12:01 AM

Walkerton Ont

Hi Desert Storm, I said that yesturday. I was using 20 20 20 until i got some calcium nitrate 15.5 0 0. I was also using a little bit of 0 0 60. When i got this nitrate stuff, i was told to discontinue the application of 20 20 20, due to the fact i was about to mix those two together, because one had something and the other had another something, mixing the two would causse the plant to bung up, there wouldnt be a steady flow between the vines. ONe fert supposly had the same thing if not more than the other, i forget what he said, it was something about mixing potasium with something else. If u are just using 20 20 20 you will be ok

8/23/2004 9:25:43 AM

No Place Special

I drench with 20-20-20 once a week and add a light mixture in with my watering once or twice a week. So far it has done the opposite of "bung" up my pumpkins. I see a very significant increase in growth every time I drench with it.

8/23/2004 9:59:22 AM

No Place Special

One more thing.... my last drench of 20-20-20 blew almost everything in my patch. I guess thats a good way to find out who is a keeper or not. LOL!

8/23/2004 10:05:49 AM

Western NY

never. but, that's just me.

8/23/2004 11:27:39 AM

Canada

Ive been applying 15-15-30 with some descent results, I let the soil dry out good between applications but only apply it at 1/2 the rate it calls for on container.

dave

8/23/2004 12:40:07 PM

Belgium Europe

I use 13-13-35 at this moment once every 4 days ,and i mix 1kg in 1000liters of water for my two AG plants in greenhouse.This solution is often used here by professionnel strawberry-growers at the moment the strawberrie must get bigger.I use 20-20-20 from half june till half juli.

8/23/2004 4:47:26 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

not just you Andy.....Never

8/23/2004 5:26:36 PM

New Brunswick

Thanks everyone...but Andy and pumpkinpicker...what are you using if not 20 20 20? I also have miracle gro (15 30 15)...I used that today. Mike F...how do you "drench"?? When I use the ferts, I water with the hose for 10 minutes at least (daily) and then pour on the 20 20 20 or Miracle gro. in a gallon of water. So maybe I do not need to fertalize so often? My largest one only gained 4 inchs OTT in 3 days so I figured maybe they needed the fertilizer daily....guess not huh? Sure hope mine live through the night. *grin*

8/23/2004 6:31:46 PM

Woodburn, Indiana

10 lbs a day

8/23/2004 6:35:58 PM

New Brunswick

Carlos...10 pounds a day??? Whats 10 pounds a day? (I must be having a "senior" moment. Ya lost me.

8/23/2004 7:10:47 PM

Saegertown Pa.

never for me to, I use a little fish and kelp and thats it

8/23/2004 8:41:52 PM

Webster, NY

I used dilute 20 20 20 at the beginning to get the plants going, then some dilute superbloom. As soon as I started seeing flowers, that stopped.

8/23/2004 9:12:13 PM

Benson, Vermont

I've been using only fish and kelp, 1/4 cup to 4 gallons of water in a stump drench every other day for the past 10 days, and a leaf drench with kelp once a week. Pumpkin put on between 15 and 21 lbs each day, until today when it only did 10 lbs, but I think it was due to the cold night last night. Seems to be doing real well, and the plant looks excellent.

8/23/2004 10:10:57 PM

Ypsilanti Michigan

I been using peters 20-20-20 and had no problems so far.

8/24/2004 8:26:19 AM

Western NY

i only use fish, kelp, and an occasional calcium suppliment. but most of the time it's nothing but pond water. i've jacked up the numbers in my soil enough over the last 5 or 6 years that i really don't need to be adding much more. leaves and manure in the fall, and some more manure in the spring if it's dry enough to get to. that's about it.

8/24/2004 8:52:26 AM

Utah

Desert Storm,
a drench .. is where you mix your fert with water (usually just in a 5 gallon bucket) and then pour/drench it around the base/stump area.

8/24/2004 11:09:07 AM

Cologne / Germany

Is "drenching" the whole plant not recommended or why do you do it around the base only?

8/24/2004 11:14:58 AM

[email protected]

FIrst year without 20-20-20, went all organic, and have 2 fruits over my personal best already. Fish and kelp supplements only, with tons of organic prepping after and before the season. I apply azomite, corn meal, manure, mulched leaves, molasses applications, and coffee and tea leave grounds from my local convenience stores, till her in, and off I go. In season is the fish/kelp combo from Neptunes Harvest, and that is it.

8/24/2004 1:21:59 PM

[email protected]

I hadn't planned on using any at all & the early tissue tests confirmed there was no need. But recent 4" rain events altered this course. Two light feedings a week apart at a 6 oz in 50 gallons H2O. Just enough to replace what might have leached or got locked out by the rain.

8/24/2004 1:38:05 PM

Utah

drenching is just more conveinent for some growers... you mix up batch and pour it out. simple and quick. usually growers just do 5 or 10 maybe 15 gallons...

near/around the base just to make sure you get it in the root zone.

if you want to cover the entire plant then i'd use a hose end sprayer. works well -but takes a little more time. drenching the whole plant with a 5 gallon bucket would take even longer and you'd have to walk around inside the patch which might cause some damage.

8/24/2004 2:32:16 PM

No Place Special

I mix 3 cups of 20-20-20 into my 350 gal tank of water and pump it through the sprinkler system evenly across the entire patch. Kind of a foliar aplication and a nice even coverage soil drench at the same time.

8/24/2004 4:07:00 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

First 2 years yes....last 2 years NO...Fish, seaweed, mollasses and tons of horse manure and local town compost in fall / spring

8/24/2004 8:51:26 PM

New Brunswick

Hmmmmm... I asked last year about the fish and seaweed stuff at one of our nurseries. They seemed to think the 20 20 20 was better. Last year I put about 5 to 7 mils on daily mixed as a drench (That is what I was doing "drenching" but did not know the proper term for what I was doing.) LOL My procedure is to turn the garden hose on and let it run free around the base of the plant. Then after 10 minutes or so, I add 5 mil give or take a little in a gallon of water and pour that on. Last year I had good luck with this method. However this year, my pumpkins are not growing so large so where I have only 20 20 20 and 15 30 15 miracle gro and NO fish stuff what way should I go? My pumpkins are 150 to 220 pounds or so. On the mircle gro it says you can use 1/2 tsp daily on house plants...so at that rate what is safe daily for an ag??

8/25/2004 1:24:54 PM

No Place Special

When I used Miracle grow last yr I used 2 tbs per gallon of water.

8/25/2004 3:17:53 PM

[email protected]

Whether to triple 20 or not is partly personal & partly scientific. If soil nutrient deficiencies exist, then triple 20 is a good quick fix.

But it is no excuse for not working the soils structure & chemcial nutrient storage capacity to it's highest potential.

That said, even great soils can & do run out of gas before the trip is over. So moderate supplementation with 20-20-20 can keep us in the race.

Soil test, Tissue test then soil test again. Know the road you're on & you don't pass the last filling station with regret.

8/25/2004 3:47:42 PM

New Brunswick

Mike...did you use two tbsp of miracle gro daily?

8/26/2004 6:02:01 PM