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Location

Message

Date Posted

Torrance, Ca.

What kind of sand are you guys using under the pumpkins?Beach,supply store,home depot,gardening center?
Thanks so much!!

12/22/2011 10:09:10 PM

milford, CT,

Play sand from Home Depot

12/22/2011 10:25:36 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Really?

Thanks Milford!

12/22/2011 10:32:45 PM

Ashby, MA

I stole sand from my kids sandbox. My pumpkins still had a cavity on the bottom but it was a little smaller than the past year when I didn't use sand. I'll use sand again this year, however, I'm not sure what kind I'll use.

12/23/2011 10:37:06 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I used the same as Milford and on top of mill fabric.

12/23/2011 10:42:43 AM

President - GPC

Same here, they had two kindZ at Jareds, I choice the masonary sand was a bit finer, it endZ up in the patch anywize.... I would like to use beach sand, more rounded pebbles.....but would be a different Ph I bet...

12/23/2011 12:00:45 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I live at the beach WiZ but I was thinking there would be a lot of salt?If so,I could grab as much as I want!Something to think about..............

12/23/2011 12:38:12 PM

bliss,n.y.- heart of Wyoming County

Masonry- really fine.. the best.. that is a tip I received from Andy wolf!

12/23/2011 12:46:54 PM

Omaha, Ne.

I was thinking of trying one of those smooth insulated foam construction boards is this ok? Last year I used some coarse play sand and blame it. On went wrong, or it was the particleboard, or it was the fungicide, or it was to small of a plant, or it was too much water, or sun scald, or to high ph, or too high potassium, or not enough nitrogen,
(not enough foliar feeding)

12/23/2011 1:16:06 PM

Omaha, Ne.

It like trying to fix and old broken down car. Changing each part until it runs. (without going broke)

12/23/2011 1:19:17 PM

Baker City Oregon

Seems to me I read somewhere that there is too much friction when you use something solid like foamboard. I think sand would be the best bet. That's what I use and like the Wiz says, 'it all goes back to the patch'.

12/23/2011 1:23:46 PM

Baker City Oregon

I was just thinking(I know...it sounds dangerous), I might use sand plus using that weed barrier on top or below the sand or both.

12/23/2011 1:32:56 PM

Ashby, MA

I put about 2 inches of sand on top of pressure treated plywood (4'x4'x3/4") with 3/8" holes for drainage. The plywood protects against rodents. Also, when I need to move my pumpkin a little I just move the plywood. I was able to do this even when the pumpkin was 500+ lbs.

12/23/2011 1:37:51 PM

Onawa,Iowa

Swimming pool filter sand & mill fabric
smooth bottoms.

12/23/2011 1:59:16 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

When the pumpkin is right around 100 lbs. you place a sheet of mill fabric with an inch or two of play sand underneath it. Any heavier and you risk injury to yourself or the pumpkin. Mice cannot chew through the mill fabric and it also drains well.

The round playsand beads act like tiny ball bearings allowing you to easily rotate a 500 or more pound pumpkin in order to aleviate stem stress.

12/23/2011 2:20:55 PM

Ashby, MA

Orangneck, so you put the pumpkin on top of the mill fabric and the mill fabric on top of the sand. Does the pumpkin slide on the mill fabric? Do your pumpkins have smooth bottoms?

12/23/2011 3:48:54 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

You put the sand on the mill fabric, or at least I do and that's what I was told to do. Mill fabric keeps the rodents from getting into the kin, the sand lets it slide out as it grows. I was 3 for 3 this year too.

12/23/2011 5:23:47 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

The mill fabric goes down first then sand on top of the fabric. My bottoms are not usually concave. If you put the pumpkin directly on the fabric, you will likely shave little pieces off the bottom of the pumpkin if you try to move it which is obviously not good. Injury= rot.

12/25/2011 7:02:11 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

To clarify- I have always moved the actual pumpkin, not what the pumpkin is sitting on top of.

12/25/2011 7:03:53 PM

South Hero, VT

Play sand on top of the mill fabric. I used two 40 lb bags per fruit. No concave bottoms in spite of the sand.Repositioned fruits several times to prevent a lop-sided pumpkin and vine stress.

However, the excess sand skewed my estimated weights light by 10% in one case, and 20% in another.

Make sure you use mothballs, poison and/or traps for rodents around the fruit before the end of July to prevent nibbling.

12/25/2011 9:19:15 PM

Rhode Island

first - we make sure the ground is level
second - we lay down a very thin piece of plywood
third - we lay down a large sheet of mill fabricc ( smooth side up )
fourth - sand, we put it down around the bottom edges later in the season to help any indented stress areas.

12/26/2011 9:25:39 AM