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France

Happy new year to everybody !

Did you notice you grew a bigger fruit from a new virgin spot each time or very often ? and also did you grew your best fruit from the same spot than your biggest fruit from last year ?
Coincidence or special reason like more beneficial bateries etc...?

Thanks
Mehdi

12/26/2009 1:50:34 PM

[email protected]

HNY Mehdi. You will be better off in new pathogen free soil if you can.

12/26/2009 2:27:55 PM

Ohio

I have heard of alot of growers growing their personal best in new soil, or in new spot where nothing has been grown before. I grew my personal best in new soil that was amended before growing in.

12/26/2009 3:40:53 PM

France

Thanks.
Brooks, and then , did you grew your best 2008 and 2009 fruit from the same spot ?

12/26/2009 3:48:01 PM

Massillon, Ohio

I would vote new spot! But I grew my PB in soil that I grew in last in 2005.

12/26/2009 3:49:02 PM

South East

We grew our new PB of 1164 in a new spot.

12/26/2009 3:55:12 PM

Ohio

well, sorta, all the stumps where grown in a different area,but they all was in the general same vicinity, because I never grow my plant in the exact same spot as the year before , so yea, my 3 biggest came from that same area, but my biggest that came from that area in my patch was when it was virgin soil,,, that make sense?,,lol

12/26/2009 6:06:03 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

I have run out of new spots to grow on, but I am practicing a rotation so I only grow in a spot every other year. And on those alternting years I set the plant at the opposite side of the planting spot. So the stump is in the same place once every 4 years. Plus I keep adding new layers of topsoil to try to keep pathogen levels to a minimum and raise my patch higher off the flood plain.

12/26/2009 8:05:34 PM

Warwood

I grew my PR in old spot that gets heavily ammended with new fertile soil and old composted manure every year.Almost like new ground each year I grow. I will now have the room to rotate every three years to evade fusarium as much as possible. I will be growing on virgin soil where the only thing that has been grown are herbs like mint, lemon balm, sage and cooking herbs for maybe three years about 5 yrs. ago and nothing but field grass in the past forty years. I've ammended with good old compost, fine shredded leaves and old manure the last two years. I subsoiled in checkerboard pattern this year down to 20", 3' apart before ammendments.I'm starting to get pumped for 2010...lol. Overall I'd vote new spot if you can or make an old spot like new as much as you can. Check for fusarium ahead of time and keep it out of your garden by keeping tools, shoes etc. sterile.Fusarium is a B----.The further south you go the worse it gets. Don WV

12/27/2009 12:59:56 AM

Rhode Island

the biggest reason to rotate or even go to a new spot is if your present spot has been infected with various diseases ,etc.
ron wr in 2006 was in a new garden but then again this past year he grew a 1598 in the exact same location, three years later.
if you keep your soil healthy and productive, ammend it and balance it each fall and /or spring ? new is not necessary.

12/27/2009 9:06:19 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

We have grown our largest pumpkin in the same spot every year. Why, I don't know, but we'll try the 901 in the same plot for 2010 & plant the others in a new patch that we've just had turned over this fall.

Jane & Phil

12/27/2009 11:35:39 AM

France

Thanks guys,Very interesting. I also grew my biggest fruit this season on the same spot I grew my biggest last year.
Any particular reasons ? beneficial bateries etc...?
I remenber, when I start to make the patch, I remove a tree from exactly this "hot" spot. Maybe that can help to find reasons ?

12/27/2009 12:35:18 PM

Team Munson

Carol & I have been in the same spot for 6 years now and had a decent year in 2009. I would rotate if you can but if you can't be prepared to use alot of fungicides and you will be OK.

12/28/2009 8:31:28 AM

France

Thanks Dave. However, since 6 years, did you grew each year your best fruit from the same spot or not ?

12/28/2009 12:21:49 PM

Team Munson

1 spot grew our 1662.5 & 1527.5 and is the biggest spot we have by far so I contribute the success there more to plant size than the soil being better. I feel all our spots could grow a WR or PB and growth rates prove that. Example 1 of our smallest plots grew the 1537 and the smallest plot grew our 1421.5.

I know alot of growers have a hot spot or favorite plot, my mind set is make all of your plots a hot spot and give yourself more chances to hit multiple home runs.

12/29/2009 8:47:47 AM

same area grew my 1662 in 07 i grew my 1622 this year and across from it the 1658. i did rest half of area 2 years now was just lawn were 1662 was it will be patch next spring at same time resting another spot; more for some lawn somewere as excuse for 3 riding mowers and 3 foot strip border of grass

12/29/2009 1:43:01 PM

France

Thank you.
It seems real now, there is very often a top spot in each patch. It could be good to make a soil test in differents areas of the patch and compare it to the top spot soil test to try to understand the reasons.

12/30/2009 12:07:17 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

My two largest pumpkins were grown in virtually the same spot of the garden.

12/30/2009 6:22:11 PM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

I know I always put my "best" seed in the spot where I first grew my largest pumpkin. I think a lot of people subconsciously put their best prospect in there #1 spot every year.

12/30/2009 8:12:10 PM