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Hayward, CA

Ok, I thought it may be the case as soon as the first plant peeked it's way through the planting mix, but it has happened. I am hooked. I will never be the guy that is at the weigh-offs with a large enough pumpkin to compete, but I will be there with my family enjoying and admiring the fruits of other peoples work. This is a ton of fun. my fear is the setup that we have for this year is not correct and will eventually fail due to disease. (clay soil holding water). Next year, I will try to start with an engineerd bed for drainage. I would like to have two plants but it may probably be just one. Creekside was kind enough to send us some seeds that were from her very own pumkin (placed them in a sealed baggie with a dessicant capsule in a coner of the closet for next year). I have seen the pictures and it was a fantastic looking pumpkin. I wanted to learn all I could to give it my best shot. This year I was able to see alot of mistakes thanks to this wonderful website showing the diaries of veterans. We will try to make the patch in the backyard drain better than the patch we started in the front. I was hoping to import all the soil required to fill the patch 2 feet deep with cow manure and soil mix. I was hoping to find a supplier in the general SF Bay Area to deliver this in the fall. Can anyone in the general area give me an idea on a good supplier. We have been burned twice now and don't want to make it a third time.
Thanks for any help.
Puter

7/24/2007 10:54:05 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

Home depot has home delivery for yard stuff, not sure what they have available, down here we have payless hardware and rockery, but i take my pickup to a horse stable (they are happy to get rid of it) and shovel it myself, fresh and stinky and free.

7/24/2007 11:18:14 PM

West Bridgewater /Brockton Ma. USA

Might want to take a second look at using the horse stable stuff, it has been my experance that it will be at least a good 2-3 years before this will compost down to be useable ,also a lot of weed stock /seed will be a problem later on. It was not stated if it was just straight horse droppings or if it is the bedding and old feed and dropping to ..... still needs to be composted 2-3 years to be ready for use JMHO from my 25 years of growing Prizewinners (100-250lb'ers) for wholesale market.

Bill G.

7/25/2007 1:48:51 AM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

I agree with Bill that the horse manure should compost for at least a couple years but the weed problems can be overcome to a large extent. I put the manure down in fall after the growing season. In spring the weeds will start to show themselves and I let them grow until about 3 weeks before time to transplant. Then I hit them with Round-Up. It has not had any bad effects on the plants (as long as you wait a few weeks to transplant) and I don't have any weed problems to speak of until early August. By that time it is minimal because the plant leaves shade a lot of weeds out anyway. Horse manure is great stuff!!!

7/28/2007 6:53:47 PM

Hayward, CA

I have looked for a place to get only fresh cow manure. The last two times we had a delivery it was sold as a composted mix and it turned out to be bay mud, redwood chips, gravel, sand and some cow manure by the smell of it. Not very composted at all. I will try to find a source of horse and do my best to work with it. Must be better than the clay soil we have. Harder than rock when it becomes dry. I think there is a stable that has some horses in Half Moon Bay. I will ask them if I can get some of their stuff.

7/29/2007 11:52:43 AM

Santa Cruz, CA

We have used horse manuer for the last four years. We get aged stuff from a local horse farm. I would first do a soils test though.(The firm we use and a good one is A & L Labs in Modesto, CA. Let them know you are growing giant pumpkins and they will tell you their recommendations for your soil. Try doing it in the fall and amend accordingly. I costs $31 and well worth it. You collect up a cup of soil and send it off to them- taking the soil samples from 6 or so locations in your patch. Their number is: (209) 539-4080) We have amended with horse manuer for the last four years and this year we went over the nitrogen level that is ideal for pumpkins. The soil test will help you know how much manuer to add. Lots and lots of leaves are great in getting the clay soils to loosen up, we have the same problem. The weeds can be a problem but if you plant fava beans after amending that helps. We also till a month before planting and that helps too. My son is a great weeded so that takes care of it pretty much. Our 644 Sprinsock is doing well it's first year out. E-mail us at the end of the season and we can let you know how it does in the end. Vader on this sight is growing it too. He has a great diary. God luck- you are welcome to more seeds if for some reason the one you have doesn't sprout.

7/29/2007 1:05:08 PM

Hayward, CA

Thanks Creekside!!
The aged stuff that is used, what is considered "aged"? (How long) Is it just when the heat from the composting stops, or that it dries out??

7/29/2007 2:16:51 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Aged for at least 2yrs is best. If you are putting it down in fall you could use 1yr old stuff and till it in.

7/29/2007 3:20:24 PM

Midwest

Puter: You're hooked if you search for manure... just a warning.

7/29/2007 9:52:54 PM

Wood River, IL (kennyw_49@yahoo.com)

Puter,

Welcome to the madness! If your not growing in the spot where your patch is going to be next year. Find some manure (cow, horse, rabbit) and start composting it yourself on that spot. There are a lot of good books to help you with that.

Good Luck

Kenny

7/30/2007 6:30:05 AM

Hayward, CA

Yes, this is alot of fun!! I was also wondering If anyone has ever grown a plant through the season and kept it going to the next year. Are these plants considered annuals? Do they have a life span, or would it be possible to continue rooting the plant in some pots over the winter in a warm garage?
Puter

8/2/2007 12:58:45 AM