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Last year (first year) I grew a 137 pounder. My watering habits were horrible watering with a watering can at random times. Those plants I grew last year were not hybrid super sizers like the ones I have now. I have no experiance with watering hybrid Giants and need to know. This year I have a farm irrigation line running through the center of my plants. With a tractor running a pto pump and three sprinklers I am capable of putting on an inch of water on my plants and area in less than an hour. I have the water power but not the understanding. How much water should I put on my plants daily or weekly? I watered my plants according to the moisture appearance in the soil, and now with pumpkins how much am I going to need to make em grow big? My soil type is an organic black soil (muck), drains inbetween what sand and clay do. After an inch in an hour in starts to puddle. Thanks for your help!

7/13/2005 10:39:14 PM

Dillsburg, PA

Kyle, I hear an inch per week. Of course this depends on your soil. If you can get that inch with combination of rain I think you will be in good shape. Of course all growers water different and at different rates so it is really hard to tell. You don't want puddles. Too much water can give you all kinds of problems.

7/14/2005 9:07:23 AM

Utah

Giant Pumpkins require approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches per week. The amount of water required can vary greatly depending on soil type, temperature, humidity, time of year, etc. Once you get a feel for your garden you can better adjust to your own watering needs. But many growers need a good starting place.

To cover a 1000 square foot garden evenly with 1 inch of water it takes 623 gallons. (1 gallon = 231 cubic inches)
That’s a lot more water than many growers might think.

This is 89 gallons per day, or 178 gallons every other day.
For 1 1/2 inches of water per week it takes 934.5 gallons per week, or 133.5 gallons per day, or 167 gallons every other day.

7/14/2005 10:13:12 AM

Montoursville, PA

I don't know how the above responses could be improved. Might suggest that you put a twelve inch piece of PVC, in the upright position somewhere assessable to you. Pull the pipe to feel with the back of your hand down there about ten or twelve inches. You are looking, for a nice damp consistancy...no dryness and no puddles. This combined with your surface eyeball observation learning will be your magic learning curve, for your patch.

7/14/2005 10:24:56 AM

Thanks for the help. The greatly satisfies my question. And one more to add. Should I water an inch per week over a period of days or can I do it in just one day?

7/15/2005 8:15:38 AM

Dillsburg, PA

Kyle, it probably would be better to water over a period days I would guess. Because if you do it in one day and then the next you get 3 inches of rain then you might have a problem. Maybe do over 3 days. Just my opinion.

7/15/2005 8:38:56 AM

Montoursville, PA

In dry hot weather water less times and soak it in deeply. To do otherwise tempts the roots, to the frying pan. Done deeply once a week infront, of a shower or immediately behind a shower is good thinking. A light mulch increases the value of this thinking.

7/16/2005 3:39:57 PM

Oz

My patch is 150x50.
I am using 2/3s of the open soil.
Trenched and hill rowed
My water pump is rated at 1825 gallons a hour.
I let it run till the trenches are filled up.
That takes about 20mins.
So roughly 600 gallons,,every,,5/6days,,
plus,,
I get daily rain this time of year.
,,About a 1/4 a day.
My patch is loamy sand.
Topped with organic black tree mulch,and hay.
It drains slow,,but completely.

7/16/2005 6:53:02 PM