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Manitoba

Newbie post here. I have a patch that is roughly 400 square feet but the Atlantic Dill has spread out to about 1200 square feet. I have two pumpkins on different secondaries way out on the vines. I had some problems pollinating earlier in the season. The pumpkins are about a 100 pounds each. Anyways I have been using seaweed and fish fertilizers every once a week as a drench now that the plant is in it's late season stage I know that I'm supposed to stress the potassium. My plant was showing signs of some kind of nutrient deficency. The signs have me believing Molybdenum because of the yellowing, browning curling up and drying out at the leafs edges only on the older growth. I tried giving it some green earth tomato and vegetable food 4-6-8 at four times the recommended rate at the stump to help turn things around about a few days ago and it seems to be working. Is it to early to apply potassium nitrate 12-0-44 at this juncture? I have know idea how often to apply it, in what amount to apply it and how to apply it? I would really appreciate some input on this. The bag says for 100 parts per million use 85 grams to 100 litres so for 8 litres I should mix only 6.8 grams of the stuff. This is for half strengh. If I wanted to use full strengh I'm supposed to use 170 grams. I read some of the posts and I'm afraid of blowing up my pumpkin so I thought I would ask before I did anything to hasty. Should I apply once a week at half strengh to the soil at the stump? Thanks

8/24/2006 2:54:46 PM

Midwest

The leaf issue may not be related to a trace element deficiency. But, if you strongly feel that disease is not the issue, there are soluable ferts that include trace elements (like MG). MG adds molybdenum and other trace elements. IMHO your plant has enough leaf canopy already. Terminate all vines within the week and make sure no other vegetative growth starts for the rest of the season. Also, you applied 4-6-8 at four times the recommended rate only to the stump... the stump does take up a significant percetage of nutrients but remember, the tap roots along the vines take up more than half of the nutrients/water. Take advantage of these tap roots and apply fertilizer to the whole patch. It's not too early (IMHO) to apply 12-0-44 at half the rate every week until weighoff. You might even go for broke and try full rate 3-4 days before weigh off. But prune, water evenly, fertlize the entire plant and keep Powery Mildew off the plant.

8/25/2006 1:58:04 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

1 Tablespoon of Potassium Nitrate per plant every 4 days in the irrigation water is the usual best-guess if no soil & tissue test data is available to guide us.

I prefer to drive with the headlights on. So a soil & tissue test is recommended.

8/25/2006 9:53:04 AM

Manitoba

I should have also mentioned that I think I may have not been watering the patch enough and that could be the reason that I am having problems with the leaves so I have stepped up the watering to everyday. I try to at least keep the soil moist at all times. It rained really good last night so I won't water today. I know they recommend at least an inch of water per week so I will aim for a little more than that and if I fall short than at least I'm getting the base rate. Sorry what does IMHO mean? I will take your advice on using the potassium but won't start till next Monday. I'll let the other stuff I applied work itself through. And Tremor when you say "in the irrigation" what do you mean because I have just been watering overhead with my sprinkler? When I apply chemicals I just mix it up in a watering can and apply that way. Thanks fellows for the great advice.

8/25/2006 12:42:24 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

imho= in my humble opinion

irrigation= what you water with, overhead is fine

8/25/2006 8:40:34 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

In the mass of foliage the has developed now I don't bother spraying the plants with fertilizer any more. Instead I have a Miracle-Grow feeder screwed onto the hose bib. With the sprayer removed you can screw a garden hose onto it instead. Toss the potassium nitrate in the jar, hook the hose up to the sprinkler & turn the water on.

It's a low-tech solution & the plants don't mind.

8/25/2006 11:11:10 PM