Maize Valley's Pumpkin Patch update Aug. 18th 2011

A look at our school tour pumpkin patch

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• halloween+pumpkins+
• corn
• maze+
• wagon
• ride
• Hayride+
• pumpkin
• picking
• cannon
• school
• tours

[JamesTyreeII]

It is better to apply manure in spring summer and fall when the soil microbes are alive and can metabolize it rather than in winter when it just sits and stinks and runs into the groundwater.

[MaizeValleyWinery]

@JamesTyreeII Yea, I hope to put the manure on this November. I get the manure for free (I just have to pay for the trucking) from a local dairy farmer and I sort of have to take what I can get when I can get it. We have some more tile work, apply about 2 Tons of lime per acre and I want to also deep rip it, apply manure then fall/winter plow this entire area including the corn maze depending upon wha the weather gives us.

[ppitt5150]

Do you guys have to deal with the dreaded squash bug and the squash vine borer? I am having big time dealings with them. Any advice as to an effective ways of keeping them away from my patch and dealing with them once they have invaded? I have heard of using other plants such as tansy to keep them away and using 100% neem oil. Not sure if they work or not. Any advice would be appreciated.

[MaizeValleyWinery]

@ppitt5150 Well there are a variety of pest out there. But no not specifically as you note the squash bug, mostly the cucumber beatle that gives us issues.

[JamesTyreeII]

Hey Bill! Looks great. here in Portland, my pumpkin patch (16x16) is looking just like yours! This is the best year ever! I put down horse manure mixed with moldy hay right before I planted into it and the pumpkins LOVE it! I am glad you did not try the sorghum again, but I really like to watch the video of you mowing it. It looks creepy and spooky which is what it was supposed to look like. I say, plant sorghum and pumpkins together.

[MaizeValleyWinery]

@JamesTyreeII Nice to hear from U again James. Glad Ur crop is doing well also. I put some sorghum on the border of this patch sort of as a "fence" to try and keep the kids from running all over the place where we'd rather not have them go etc.

[MaizeValleyWinery]

@pumpkingrower14 They like heat but only up to a point then it becomes too much for them, best wishes!

[MaizeValleyWinery]

@Thagirion9 Thanks very much!

[MaizeValleyWinery]

@cloverides Yea, we all have R "demons"!

[cloverides]

Good thing you don’t have an aphid problem, my patch is suffering from them. Theyre like a virus, you spray and spray but those little bugs just won’t go away. Powdery/Beetles are non-existent in my patch

[braneden]

Looking good!!