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Taylorsville, California

I'm considering planting a couple plants back to back this year and was looking for imput. How far should the stumps be from each other? Are plants grown back to back bound to fight eachother for nutrients ect,, am I better off just growing them from the end of fhe patch towards each other instead- thanks for any info
Auston

4/20/2012 11:20:56 AM

Ashby, MA

I was successful growing back to back last year. The stumps were about 4' apart from one another. I'm doing the same thing this year. I'm only a 3rd year grower so I don't have enough experience to know if they fight each other for nutrients.

4/20/2012 1:10:15 PM

Minnesota

no problem planting back to back, have done 4-6 feet apart with no problems, I may even argue it is better, but some would say I like to argue

4/20/2012 10:49:33 PM

Rhode Island

our biggest pumpkins of all time have been grown on back to back planted 4 ft apart.
back to back also requires less cords,etc when hooking up heating cables lights,etc.

4/21/2012 7:08:40 AM

Muddy Waters

I'm no X-spert either,but I pretend to be one on BP.I have talked to some heavy hitters that grow back to back.I think the idea is they are more aggressive then standing alone.I will be planting the 1161 side by side with the 1381 Checkon or 1723 Marshall about 5 feet apart in my pumpkin screenhouse this year.Then 1 will stand alone at the other end of cave.I also heard from a tree man once that when tress grew side by side they grew faster.I know it cant hurt you if your soil is good & you plan to spoon feed your plants.

4/21/2012 7:10:01 AM

Bethlehem CT

Very interesting that the back to back method seems to be beneficial. I wonder if the roots are grafting together. My guess would be this is very likely. It happens all the time in trees. Two root hairs (of the same species) grow into each other and then they graft together. The plants are able to share nutrients, etc.
The only down fall would be if one gets disease then it would quickly travel to the other plant. This is what happened with dutch elm disease. One elm would get it, then other elms that share it's roots start to go down on both sides. Not even needing an insect as a vector to spread the dutch elm disease.
I am definitely considering going back to back now. It means a lot to hear Pap's comments.

4/21/2012 8:34:27 AM

Webster, NY

I think the 4 foot apart is perfect. Planted too close, and you risk damaging the plant, unless you're going to just plant and leave it alone at that end.

As with anything, when the expert talks, you tend to listen and Pap is the expert.

4/21/2012 3:11:57 PM

Colorado

Does amelio have any pumpkins to go with all that mumbo jumbo. For me this is a hobby and if other growers think the method works good enough for me!

4/21/2012 6:16:19 PM

Taylorsville, California

Thanks Chris, Pap & everyone. I've never tried back to back but expanded a portion of the patch that makes it ideal to plant this way so I'll give it a try.

4/21/2012 9:18:31 PM

Minnesota

amelio, why are you always harrassing people for no reason.

4/21/2012 9:32:40 PM

Belgium

please keep me out of this lol

4/22/2012 1:38:20 AM

Webster, NY

I would look for advice from people who had practical, hands on experience of any topic. The people that I listen to have been growing AG's for many years and have been successful at it. When you can say you've grown 1000 to 1800 pound fruit 5 to 10 years in a row, then you've had the same practical experience and not just theory.

Just my humble opinion.

4/22/2012 7:01:29 AM

Rhode Island

for those growers that hang around the hobby long enough (lets hope amelio is not one of them ) you will make many friends .
friends that are willing to share information and ideas (that work ) with you,likewise you in turn will share with them.
thats the greatest secret to this hobby.

before the age of the computer,sites like this,grower clubs,the gpc,etc, the entire hobby was dominated by just a few growers.many of which i personally thought were to full of themselves.

as a giant veggie growing community we have come a long way.

pap

4/22/2012 7:08:14 AM

Piqua, Ohio

Amelio are you the professional you are talking about? Gardening is a little different than raising AG's. For some reason you always attack the Wallace's but anyone who's been growing AG's for any length of time know they are the guys to ask, pap has never steered me wrong. Only time will tell I hope you grow a big one with all you mumbo jumbo good luck and thanks for the comoical posting! This is not an attack on you just wandering why you think you know more about AG's than guys who have over 20 years in the sport? Good day

4/22/2012 8:25:44 AM

Torrance, Ca.

It almost makes me want to un-ignore so I can see what he's been writing.

I think I'll pass!

4/22/2012 11:04:30 AM

Omaha, Ne.

But he's getting better. He only attacks when he's attacked.
Right P.J.
Ya right!
Every post.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=431132

4/22/2012 11:55:54 AM

Piqua, Ohio

Amelio
what question? my 539.5 was grown my second year, I didn't keep any seeds. I didn't know anything about AG's then, did nothing to the plant and it grew wild. Now if I grow anything under 1000 I don't tell anyone. The 1018 throws white fruit I want orange so maybe I need some pectobacterium in my patch!

4/22/2012 12:12:22 PM

Hinckley MN

so, back to the topic. Is it better to grow 4 pairs back to back in a 45 x 100 patch or run a row down the center at 12 ft spacing and run the main vines in alternating directions (1st one North, next one South,etc.)? I can grow the plants wider than the 45 ft, but I can't till wider than that. The center of my patch has a year headstart. Because it has better soil, I want to keep all the stumps in the center of the patch and grow outward.

4/22/2012 12:15:44 PM

Piqua, Ohio

I know a couple guys who grow that way, less cords to run easier to access all plants from one area. I had to put grass buffers in my patch I was losing too much topsoil from erosion, so I have 10 individual patches. Be careful with the one growing to the west I've lost main vines to wind gusts!

4/22/2012 12:26:39 PM

Webster, NY

I'm confused. Are you referring to me as a Nazi? Don't worry. I will no longer comment on your postings.

4/22/2012 12:39:09 PM

Webster, NY

I have no pride, I asked a simple question. Are you calling me a Nazi? Yes or no.

4/23/2012 8:10:33 AM

Westford, MA

Have done it a couple times.

Like pap said keeps all the accessories in 1 locale.

I also set up a walkway in between.(pics probably in old diary).

Used 2 wooden benches, (wish they were metal grated).
The benches were up on 1-1 1/2" legs which sank down into the soil, leaving the benches up 2-3" above the soil.

I had 2 x 32 gal. water barrels that I left on each platform to feed the mounds from thru the season.

The plants were put in 1-2 feet on either side of the bench platforms.
I could reach them from the platforms, with 1 hand on a board in the soil.

2"x12"x 8"long, board was the bridge between the benches.
GREAT for not compacting around the mounds.

Really wish they were metal!!!
Only 1 left for this year.

4/23/2012 9:40:49 AM

North Smithfield, RI

Pap ,,, Is back to back good in a small area ? 800 sq " ft

4/27/2012 1:30:29 PM

Aurora, IL

What is back to back planting?

4/30/2012 12:06:21 AM