From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Eugene, OR

Hi all. During these winter months I've been trying to get all the ferts I can afford for next year. So far, I've picked up 15 yards of composted cow manure, 5 gallons of Neptune's Harvest Fish/Seaweed, 50 pounds of Neptune's Crabshell, 20 pounds of worm castings, and I just picked up 5 gallons of molasses from the local feed store for a whopping $11.00.

My question is.....is there anything else I need for a fairly balanced pumpkin diet?

Also, how often should one feed with the Neptune's Harvest? I plan on fertigating as well as using it to foliar feed to control leaf bound disease.

Your suggestions are very much appreciated!

Brian

1/10/2004 3:07:05 PM

Montoursville, PA

Ten pounds of corn meal and maybe a bag of 5-3-2 Fertrell organic fertilizer and maybe a bag if gypsum. Many of us use trace elements. Fertrell has one called Azomite that is very good. I still like Ironite! I use five pounds of both. There is a sales outlet: North Pacific Trading in Portland. You have to dig out the address.

1/10/2004 5:37:30 PM

Greencastle, PA

The ancient pharoh's weren't to bright they say
But they made one contribution that I live by to this day
It's the AG food pyramid and it's aproved by the BPDA
OM is the foundation, with it the pumpkin grows
Be sure your manure has time to decompose......

Gypsum's good, it provides calcium and breaks up clay soils, maybe put in a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 prior to planting.
Tom

1/11/2004 11:26:40 AM

Eugene, OR

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll have to try and find a supplier of gypsum in my area to increase the calcium. My goal is completely organic without having to add any fertilizer during the season, but I realize that goal is a few years off. I'll just have to supplement the soil for now with organic liquid ferts.

Thanks!

Brian

1/13/2004 1:59:05 AM

Montoursville, PA

Hey sometimes you have to educate your sales persons in the grab and run garden centers today. My local guys kept telling me Walmart did not have large bags of gypsum. I knew they did. They sell Soft Clay or some other fool name of the product gypsum. It's $4.99 for five pounds or fifty pounds for $7.99. You have to do the snooping about. They only sell Soft Clay. :)

1/13/2004 8:49:29 AM

Montoursville, PA

Hey Brian, in Klamath County, you may be in reach of the famous Mt. Hood volcano manna. From private ground you would not be wrong in adding ten pounds of that dust a year if you can find it. I brought home a little just to be a snob and tell my friends I imported Mr. Hood volcano ash to help my pumpkin patch. It is sure putting a fine good looking growth on the planted trees in the replanted areas and why not? That's mother's way of helping the blast area.
She burned it and then gave of the deep goodness to restore the damange.

1/13/2004 8:57:11 AM