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Ellwood City, PA, USA

I always wondered how deep the roots on a AG would go. I would assume the roots at each leaf node would generally be more shallow than those at the stump. How deep does anyone think they go, particularly at the stump? Just wondering...

8/4/2011 11:57:19 AM

Germany

My experience from last years´ pulling plants out of patch (after pumpkin picking), there are some thick and strong and long roots at the stump, and I had the impression they reached at least 2 or even 2.5 feet down. Will analyze it in detail this year (people might think of archeological excavations on my patch). The tap roots at the nodes will definitely be shorter...1 foot deep (my impression from pulling vines...need to do a professional excavation in this case as well).

8/4/2011 12:24:50 PM

Midway, UT

Granted, this study wasn't done on Atlantic Giants, but in 1927 a couple of professors from the University of Nebraska excavated and mapped the course of the root system of a pumpkin plant. The fine root hairs went 6 feet deep and the root system was 17 feet wide. This was on a plant that was only 16 feet wide. Small by our standards and I would gurantee our AG plants root systems are much more extensive than the Small Sugar pumpkins they were working on. I think most people probably greatly underestimate the extent of the root system on an AG plant.

http://denverpumpkins.com/2008/05/pumpkin-roots.html

8/4/2011 8:25:15 PM

Rapid City, SD

if ya want roots to go deep...........don't water much.........they will go deep to reach for moister.....but not a good idea.......i would rather keep soil moist so roots grow out just under soil a couple inches not deep

8/4/2011 10:43:52 PM

Ellwood City, PA, USA

I honestly wouldn't have expected 6'. That is pretty incredible. I would have expected something on the order of 3' or so as the norm.

8/5/2011 8:52:47 AM