From

Location

Message

Date Posted

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Every year I struggle with how many plants I should grow. I have about 2000 square feet of space and started long ago with 4 plants and last year went to 3 plants and now I am thinking about moving down to 2 plants. I have some tomatoes in the mix as well, around the borders. The reason I did 4 plants at first was because I was thinking that it would increase the chance of getting a big pumpkin. There is always the possibility of a flat vine developing, the main vine rising up and breaking off etc etc. So, maybe it would be a consideration to begin with 4 plants and decrease down to 2. The real work is not so much in the mound preparation, planting and cloche but rather in the vine burying, pruning, watering, spraying etc that comes later. So, I am wondering what others think about how many plants to start and end with in say 2000 square feet of space and whether more plants or better care are the answer. Are 2 plants getting lots of attention and a bit more room better than 4 receiving less attention and less space? Thoughts??? I know some growers have as many as 10 plants and I wonder how they do it?

11/10/2005 8:21:16 AM

Utah

I have had the same questions...
in some respects 2000 sq ft is 2000 sq ft regardless of the number of plants... weeding, spraying ... maybe watering and some other factors... they should be the same. but like you said some other factors are different.

last year I had 4 plants in 2200 sq ft ... each were 550 sq ft this year I had 5 in that that same 2200 sq ft each at 440 sq ft. In 04 I didn't prune any secondaries... in 05 I left the first 2 on each side and then cut every other one off... so that was less vine burying. The results of the two years were pretty similar. 04 = 906, 05 = 932.5
To me the amount of work was the essentially the same.

If I were you I would put 4 plants in the patch... if one is an under preformer, how ever you want to define it, then you can alway give that plant less attention and even less space. I think you should decided what you think your optimal plant size should be ... and go from there.
best wish
gordon

11/10/2005 9:02:43 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Since I don't have any proven seeds, they are all from 2005, I think more plants are better for me. I would change my mind if I had just one 845 or equivilant.

My plan is to pick 4 of them and care for those first, ensuring they get the attention they need, then spend remaining time on the others. This will help me determine which lines to focus on as I develop my skills into 2007.

11/10/2005 10:17:49 AM