From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ray, North Dakota

My largest pumpkin through day 28 was 214 lbs est and has been growing 15 lbs a day consistently. Last night we had a strong shower of close to 2", and I find this morning my pumpkin measures at 237 lbs est. for a gain of 23 lbs.

Rain water promotes growth more than the hose and sprinkler?

8/10/2006 12:12:22 PM

Lexington, Ky

Hard to duplicate Mother Nature with a hose!

8/10/2006 2:16:22 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

I've noticed my newer leaves green up nicely after a good rain. With overhead watering they were lighter in color. I'm guessing it's from nitrogen brought down by the rain.
Rain also may soak into the middle of the plant canopy better than a sprinkler. I hope we get some rain soon. I'd love 20+ lb. gains, if no splits occur with it:-)

8/10/2006 2:20:28 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Don't talk about splits. I'm dedicating more time to this pumpkin than my kids! The wife may split with me though.

8/10/2006 2:31:35 PM

Long Island,New York

When you water do you water 2 inches over the whole patch?????????

8/10/2006 4:10:24 PM

Ray, North Dakota

As dry as it has been, I have been watering every day some days for 45 minutes each half of the garden. My two AG's are in one half. Soil is drenched and topsoil always meets subsoil water. Firm but wet. 45 minutes through an oscillating sprinkler should be about 150 gallons over 20x60 ft. I suppose that is not enough? lol

8/10/2006 4:39:42 PM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Come on rain!

8/10/2006 8:04:23 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Nothing beats rain!...unless you don't need it.

8/10/2006 8:17:09 PM

New York

Glenn is right. It never feels like it, but a 1" rainfall on a 750' plant is around 450 gallons. If you have a large plant of 800', that 2" of rain just supplied nearly 1000 gallons of water to the plant. That's a lot of water if we applied it with a sprinkler in a few hours time. Not too mention the water is applied very even throughout the whole plant. One cubic foot holds 7.5 gallons of water.

8/10/2006 9:05:37 PM

[email protected]

Yepper....Not many hoses deliver water like that and like Doug said, Nitrogen is carried down by rain...lot's of it too.

8/10/2006 10:49:57 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

When has it rainedd in SLO in the summer other than a thunder storm that wandered up from the desert?

8/11/2006 2:16:48 AM

Ray, North Dakota

I need a loan for more tap water. Anyone got some extra green to throw my way? It makes sense, I haven't been getting enough water for the large spurts.

My plants are about 20 x 20 each. I would have to run the sprinkler two hours a night when I water. Seems excessive.

8/11/2006 9:06:39 AM

[email protected]

LOL....It take more than 2 hours to run my lawn sprinklers but I do it. Water is cheap & the resevoir is overfull for this time of year.

8/11/2006 1:08:11 PM

[email protected]

Herb,

400 square foot plant = 250 gallon minimum per week. I'd use 400 gallons if it's hot. If you can water just before sunrise the waster to evaporation will be minimal. To calculate this properly requires knowing the sprinklers output in gallons per minute at your water pressure. Missing that information - stick the sprinkler in a 5 gallon bucket, turn it on & time how long it takes to fill the bucket. If it takes 1 minute, you're at 5 gpm so you need to run the sprinklers for 50 minutes per week. Since 5 gpm out of a sprinkler is highly unlikely, you'll need to do the stop-watch & math corrections.

8/11/2006 1:13:20 PM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

I completed a rain dance, no rain in SLO yet!

8/11/2006 5:43:56 PM

Mn

The hydrogen peroxide in rain water also helps plants.

8/11/2006 11:10:49 PM

Beach Park, IL.

Hmmm, how about a tenth of an inch over a 600 sq. ft. patch???? Come one rain!!! Tell me, does well water provide more benefit than city/public water?? We have well water.

8/12/2006 12:08:40 AM

Ray, North Dakota

We are currently getting pounded as I write this message. Over an inch in the last 30 minutes. Not good, not good.

8/12/2006 4:16:35 PM

San Jose [email protected]

taco, I would have to say, that in most cases well water will be better, no chlorine, no fluoride, more trace minerals

8/13/2006 5:44:34 PM