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Buffalo, New York

Here is a question I've been meaning to ask for awhile now.

We all know wind protection is very important when growing these plants, but so is air-flow, correct?

Last season, I used that blacket plastic with the wooden posts many people use on here around my patch, but I left it up all season long and I believe lack of air-flow caused my plants to die earlier then i was hoping when they reached full patch size.

So my question is:

When should i put up the black plastic around my patch and when should I remove it for air-flow purposes?

4/19/2009 8:24:31 PM

Ohio

put it up when the wind is blowing, and take it down when the wind stops.,,,lol

4/19/2009 8:47:19 PM

Aroostook County,Maine

Jeremy, just plant corn around your pumpkin plant, it will protect you pumpkin plant from strong winds, but will still allow adequate airflow..

4/19/2009 9:27:17 PM

Buffalo, New York

you know what, i have thought of that.....but doesnt corn have to be planted in multiple rows to pollinate?

I wont have enough room around my pumpkin plants to grow corn, and for some reason in the past, my stalks never stood up straight, they always blew over in the wind.

4/19/2009 9:48:51 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Depends partly on what your sustained average windspeed is... here it averages 25mph and gusts to 40 are not uncommon. We have our share of high profile vehicle warnings too...

Here I have enough wind to not worry about PM or air circulation. I add more moveable up close windbreak when the vine is smaller (main under 10 feet) to help it get established too. Perimeter fence is 4' and 'solid' to the wind.

Here corn, sunflowers, etc, would end up growing sideways. No help for a windbreak.

Maybe put a few breaks in your fence (skip a panel) then add a longer panel offset to make more of a baffle, and you can take that outer panel off or down when you are having doldrums?

4/19/2009 10:14:52 PM

San Jose [email protected]

you will get plenty of airflow unless you totally cover your patch with plastic. solid anything is not the way to do wind break, because the wind just goes over the top and back down the other side, just as fast, corn or some type of netting would be preferable.

4/19/2009 10:40:22 PM

Gold Hill, Oregon

corn doesn't have to be planted with several rows to pollinate. corn is self pollinating. the pollen falls off the tassels and lands on the silk. usually the end plants don't get much pollen. when its time to for corn to pollinate you can go out and shake the plants at the end of the rows (4-5 plants on the ends). the ones on the end usually don't get pollinated because the wind blows the pollen else where.

4/20/2009 1:59:39 AM

Gold Hill, Oregon

2 or 3 rows would be better.

4/20/2009 2:00:54 AM

Ohio

Jeremy, I was just kidding ya bud,just trying to get a laugh from you.
But I use a wind type protector with small holes in it, it breaks the wind force down tremendously before it hits your plant, you would be surprised how much a wind fence with rather large holes in it breaks up the wind before it hits your plant. I also use corn to help out on blocking the wind.

4/20/2009 4:36:16 AM

Belmont, NH

I use the black silt fence like a lot of people. I also take the same plastic coat hangers I make the vine hold down U clips from and cut just the hook and part of the top on each side. These double hooks can then be placed on the silt fence half way between each post holding the top down and the bottom up slightly. Windy days you can remove them and calmer days you can have better air flow. They also help with mowing and weed whacking around the fence.

4/20/2009 6:38:02 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Your fences if not positioned correctly can dry out your patch. Two are better than one.

4/20/2009 1:23:19 PM