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Jasper, Indiana

With all the rain and cool temperatures my plants are growing very slowly. This week the temperatures are finally in the 80's so I have seen some growth but my plants are not dark green and the growth is far behind what I had last yeay at this point.

With all the rain could most of my nitrogen have leached from the soil?

My plants are at the 3rd leaf stage. Can I start to apply 20-0-0 liguid fertilizer to give the plants a boost? Or should I use the seaweed powder and fish emulsions?

Thanks, Karl

5/12/2011 10:46:38 AM

Canada

I wouldnt apply any fertilizer specially if its been cool and the plants arnt doing much, Fertilizer can sometimes do more harm then good, It will take a few days for the plants to bounch back, I noticed the same thing happening to my plant last year and year before when I didnt heat my greenhouse, No worries the plant will bounch back, from what ive read when the temps are cool with lots of rain nitrogen gets locked up in the soil. Give it a few more days or warm weather and see what happens

Dave

5/12/2011 11:16:23 AM

Corbin, KY

calcium nitrate

5/12/2011 11:33:28 AM

canal winchester ohio

Don't do a thing yet, if after 3-4 days of temps in the 75 degree range and sunshine they are still light green then you should fertilize a little.
A pumpkin growers worse enemy is the Knee Jerk Reaction. We all know it, the inability to wait & logically think it thru before doing something to our plants that we can not reverse.

5/12/2011 11:51:39 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

Don't add any fertilizer. The season is way to young for all of that. Here is R.I. the weather is and has been slow. Once the sun begins to beam the plants will respond. The roots are taking hold right now this time of the season its always slow. Rome wasn't built in a day. The fertliizer will do more harm them good. Especially with the high salt. I see nothing wrong with a little fish and seaweed. You'll get a bunch of different answers to the same question from different growers. My personal belief is that we sometimes do more harm then good with all the fertilizers and other things that we put on the plants and soil. This week I've been feeling the same way so I decided the best thing I could do is try to warm up the soil and climate within the greenhouses.To my surprise I did see some noticeable gains in the plants vigor.

5/12/2011 12:33:07 PM

Jasper, Indiana

thanks for the replies

5/12/2011 12:40:31 PM

Wi

There have been pumpkins grown over 1600 using chemical fertilizers on seedlings. There have been pumpkins grown over 1600 using fish and seaweed only on seedlings. In fact I have a pretty good memory and belive there have been pumpkins grown over 1700 using each method as well.

5/12/2011 1:02:50 PM

Colorado

buck as your soil heats up plants should kick in without needing ferts.

5/12/2011 1:04:03 PM

Joliet, IL

Nothing wrong with a teaspoon per gallon of a 10-10-10 given to young plants, especially if started in a soil less medium. It can take time after transplant for the roots to extend into true soil with nutrients, especially if soil is cooler at transplant. My plants started in seed starter mix get transplanted in the patch 4 or 5 days after seed coat is off. I wait about 2 days after transplant and then give each plant about 12 ounces of luke warm water with 10-10-10 at one teaspoon per gallon poured directly at base of plant to be absorbed into established roots in the seed starter mix. Without this, the plants would be fine. But with this the plants seem to never miss a beat. I do the same with my tomato sprouts after their first repotting into potting soil from the 2" pots with seed starter mix to 5" pots half potting soil and half patchsoil mix. Nothing wrong with this procedure from my experience.

5/12/2011 2:49:04 PM

Joliet, IL

This was a tip I took from the dirt doctor about 5 years ago and have used since. He says it is the only time any mix with the color blue ever touches his soil and I agree. Justb go lightly if u do.

5/12/2011 2:52:11 PM

Puyallup, WA

BuckHunter doesn't know a good thing when he sees it!! We in the Pacific Northwest have yet to hit 70°! In fact, today it hit 62° and we were "happy campers" as the sun was out! The forecasters say we will set a record this year as we probably won't hit 70° before May 23rd. We wouldn't know what an 80° day was if it hit us in the face!

5/13/2011 12:29:41 AM