Pumpkins

[deerdown]

While most of you are still grinding out the season, some of us are thinking about next years food plots and habitat plans.

No, it's not that I filled my tags, on the contrary, I didn't hunt at all this year and have no plans to enter the game at this point. The new job has been kicking my rear, and I lost my in-state permission farm. Lot's of excuses to be sure.....if I were to be honest, I've just lost some of the drive.

Regardless, I still love doing food plots and improving the land and feeding the wildlife.

Onto the topic: Pumpkins - Unfortunately, my last 2 years of pumpkin patches of 1/3a each were a failure. 3 years ago I had a decent start but missed a spraying or 2 for foxtail and it impacted my final crop. The last 2 years I believe were a lack moisture problem. I planted all sorts of seed, pumpkins, PPT, wheat, crimson clover, buckwheat, etc and nothing really grew, except, for my German Millet and Egyptian wheat.
So I am planning to plant pumpkins where I had my German Millet last year. I heavily limed it last year, and I have hydrants nearby where I could water. The area is about an acre, but I plan to only use about 1/2 of it for pumpkins and I want to see if the German Millet will reseed itself on the other half for quail feed/cover.

I don't know how best to prep the ground at this point. This is an area that I burned last year. I don't know if I should burn it again where I plan to plan pumpkins, if I should plant the pumpkin seeds in June and then crimp the millet, if I should mow then plant? Should I spray 2,4d 4 weeks prior to planting? I plan to use Clethodim to combat foxtail later in the seaon.

Any and all good advice welcome - I know one member is pretty knowledgeable on the topic @Bucksnbears


Millet before it headed out, and after with some Egyptian Wheat as a screen on the left

 

[HWC]

How did you set up your hydrants? Sorry I can't help with the spraying questions

 

[Sligh1]

I wonder if u could roll that down into a mat!!!?!???!?!?!
I’d 1000% go with pre-emergents. U could burn down with gly & 2,4-d. I’d be adding high rates of pre’s. Especially S-metolachlor which is very good on grasses. I’d personally want to run highest labeled rates of 3 different pre’s. I’d do 3 so u get broad coverage, longer coverage and because u got a weed seed bank full of foxtail. U could run 1 or 2 of the 3 on a second pass with clethodim & crop oil for example.
Use this chart & make sure u get plenty of pre’s. The cost is “minimal” & will save u from a disaster. None of these are restricted use.

Weed Control in Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Author: Marissa Schuh , Integrated Pest Management Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension. Reviewed by Annie Klodd, Extensio...

blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu

 

[JUNIOR]

I’m also wanting to grow a pumpkin patch plot. Will be following this. Very little plot experience here but what if you planted clover or turnips in the spring to help with weed control. Bring in a garden tiller come June, make your mounds plant pumpkins. Then come July/August over seed the areas between mounds (try not to crowd your mounds) with turnips/radishes.