Old plot for pumpkins

[Matt.]

I've been able to use an unsed plot for this summer and I intend to grow pumpkins. The plot is let to somedoy else but they are struggling this summer and have let me use the ground for free. Hurrah!

Its full of weeds and grass was growing up to waist height until I strimmed and mowed it back. The question I have now is should I rotovate it or not? I'm not too bothered about the weeds that will come but I don't know if its worth it? I'd dig out a patch 4'x4' per plant anyway but will the pumpkins roots be ok beyond this? I'm wondering if I can lead out the vine development by digging ahead every week or so? I'm a bit worried about soil compaction as the ground hasn't been used for at least two decades.

What do you think? Rotovator hire is ~£40.

[snuffer]

Are you only able to use the plot for this year ? Or do you intend taking it on full time ? I know that saving money isn't the only reason we grow our own but if you can only have access to the plot for this year and you only intend to grow pumpkins you'd have to grow an awful lot to recoupe your £40.00.

It might be better to, as you say, just clear all the weed roots from the patches where you'll be planting the pumpkins and cutting back the top growth elsewhere. The plants will be able to cover the ground and go some way toward supressing the weeds.

Even if you are able to work the plot in following years this may still be the best option. Chopping up all those perenial weed roots into smaller peices will only cause more problems. As has been said many times on the grapevine take your time and clear one peice at a time.

[Matt.]

At the moment its only this year. Who knows what will happen in the future. I have my own plot for regular veg which meets my needs fine. The pumpkin growing is more as a hobby and trial. I'm not expecting to recoup any money and to be honest I'm only expecting to get two maybe three pumpkins total - they key thing is that I want them BIG!!

I guess I miss phrased my question. What I want to know is how much bigger will my pumpkins be if I rotovate compared to letting them grow on the grass. I'd expect them to be better but will it me marginal or enough to be worth it?

[SarzWix]

I don't think you should rotavate it Matt. If it's someone else's plot, then you could be causing them years of problems trying to get back in control when all the trillions of pieces of root start growing... That wouldn't be very fair, really.
Dig out big enough holes, then water and cover the surrounding areas in muck then cardboard. The worms will work it in, the pumpkins can root through the cardboard, & the weeds should be repressed for a little while.

[Matt.]

Its fine about the weeds the whole plot is one big mass of weeds. It hasn't been worked in decades. I can't create more than there already is!!

I've decided to see how things go for the next few weeks. I've glyphosated the ground and will try and hand dig the key areas. I'll try and get ahead of the main vines so at least these can get new roots. Side vines if I have the time! If I find its not working I'll hire a rotovator or see if I can borrow one. I'll see if I can get cardboard for the surrounding areas but I'll need a lot as I expect each plant to cover 15' by 25'!!

[SAFIA]

our site has a rotivator for hire for a £1 if you join the association at a cost of £3 a year does yours not have anything like that?

[Growem]

I have a similar question. Assuming the squashes I've planted survive, I want to put them into the unused part of my allotment. When I say unused, I mean waist-high grasses, with a bit of nettle thrown in for good measure. Next week I'm taking delivery of a nice load of well-rotted horse manure.

Now my question, do I really have to clear off the plot first before putting in my seedlings? I was hoping that maybe I could just chop the grass down to stumps in a meter square for each plant, put down a big load of manure and plant the squashes into that. What do you all think?

[Matt.]

our site has a rotivator for hire for a £1 if you join the association at a cost of £3 a year does yours not have anything like that?

Unfortunatly not. We have a mower and a strimmer but these have been broken for as long as I've had a plot! I'd say you are very lucky to have that service.


Growem - I think it will work. Maybe try and put a layer of cardboard down first then manure as suggested above. Normal squashes will only use about 1m2 maybe a bit more each so you should do ok. If I were you I'd try and keep the grass cut back everywhere to stop seeds forming. You'll be suprised how quickly it becomes lawn like (very rough obviously but short grass nevertheless).