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United States

Which methods do you find most effective for avoiding soil compaction when you walk around the patch? I've considered a narrow length of plywood, but that guarantees the soil under the whole length will be compacted. Most plywood is also pressure treated, so I'm concerned it will leach undesirable substances into the soil, and harm my vines. I've also considered large garden tiles, the trade off there is your soil suffers more intense compaction, but over a smaller area.

Which method do you think is the most effective?

6/18/2023 7:41:22 PM

Syracuse, NY

The larger the area of the walking board, the less the compaction underneath it, as long as it is thick enough - I recommend no thinner than what they call 5/8-inch at a Home Depot, let's say. I would NEVER use 2 x 4s and narrow pieces of scrap wood for this unless they were originally supported at both ends by spikes or posts before the seedlings went out (they'd grow roots AROUND what is already there) and never touched the soil between those posts (this is all based on if I had tilled and prepared soil, like, why do that and then trample it, lol); One 4' X 8' sheet at Home Depot and they will cut it for you;
One cut is into 1/2 (across the width) and then those 2 pieces get cut 2 more times into 16-inch-wide pieces---I cannot stress enough that the cuts need to go WITH the grain(!)
Else, they will be very flexible and you want maximum rigidity. Comes out to about
5 bucks each, max. Last for YEARS and fit very nicely between the vines! Later---eric g

6/19/2023 12:52:47 AM

United States

Won't the chemicals from the pressure treated plywood leach into the soil, and harm the vines?

6/19/2023 12:11:19 PM

New Castle, Indiana

You can get non treated boards. In my limited experience, I've noticed the worst thing about compacted soil isn't so much that the soil is tough for the roots, but more so that weeds tend to thrive in it. I have no way at the moment to prevent compacting the dirt in my garden other than just walking between rows where the roots probably aren't going and/or walking the same spots every time so there are fewer compacted areas. I do scratch up the soil a bit around my plants from time to time.

6/19/2023 3:54:51 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Here is what the great growers that I know do.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=337915

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=338105

6/19/2023 4:03:48 PM

New Castle, Indiana

Yep those both look like 5/8 regular plywood.

6/19/2023 4:13:07 PM

Lodi, California

I had some Fence Panel left over that I tried and I think it works pretty well, worth looking into. It lets the water through and it spreads out the weight very evenly, without sinking into the dirt.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft-3610375?store=1857&cid=Shopping-Google-Local_Feed&utm_medium=Google&utm_source=Shopping&utm_campaign=&utm_content=Local_Feed&gclid=CjwKCAjw-b-kBhB-EiwA4fvKrBfB0t_hx1VbzDMtEzFJ2Qg5Hr8pDV6qYCHUCvhyQJyeR4tVxkyHFxoCFt4QAvD_BwE

6/19/2023 10:19:46 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I use fence panel as well, and have been using the same ones for 13 years. I space mine between secondaries like North Shore posted, but every other one.

I can't grow a 2K pkn, but I can glide like no other throughout my plant. Everyone has a talent. lmao

If you want to go Jedi level, cut all carbs from the diet prior to growing season too. Weight matters!

6/19/2023 10:33:37 PM

Grittyville, WA

Cool idea, costs $1 per sq ft to do the whole patch though? For me thats more than spare change. I have a lot of pumice and not much clay so I dont worry about compaction sometimes I think its too light and fluffy for some crops. For some crops its actually better to compact it a bit.

6/20/2023 1:36:45 AM

Lodi, California

I think 2 pieces per plant would be ideal while it's growing, one on either side of the main

6/20/2023 2:31:56 AM

Boscawen, NH

I know that I will likely be the exception here but I've never used walking boards. Instead I always carry a 12" hand fork with me when I do my daily pruning and vine burying. Before I prune and bury each vine I loosen the top 10-12 inches of soil for about 12 inches in front of the vines. I do this as I'm pruning and lowering the vines. When I'm done pruning and burying I have a 12 inch loosened perimeter around the plant and all soil under the canopy is loosened. I never walk back over what has been loosened.

6/20/2023 9:27:27 AM

Syracuse, NY

Combining that with NSB's notation
'Here is what the great growers that I know do.'
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=337915
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=338105
might be a representation of the finished product, with one very happy plant
in the end! Also appreciating the 'show me whatchu got' approach of drawing back the weed blocking material, with wider and longer WBs for ME,
butt 'bury' ('very') impressive:
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=338788
eg

6/20/2023 12:14:22 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Geddes, you always make me rethink everything I do!

I thank you for that!

6/21/2023 9:49:31 AM

Torrance, Ca.

And North Shore, that great grower is easily beating the Canadian record this year and smashing the all time record up there!:) AGAIN!!! lol

If all things go right!

6/21/2023 9:52:21 AM