Previously we introduced you to the Payson Pumpkin People in our post about our Site3 in Flowing Springs/Payson. They plan to grow the largest pumpkin in Arizona at our Site3a, Joanne's Master Garden.
They have returned to Payson to teach a class on how to grow a giant pumpkin.
They drew a good crowd of giant pumpkin lovers.
The PaysonPumpkinPeople sent this report:
"Well, that was fun.
Thanks to the 20 who turned out for the first annual “How to grow a 1,000 pound pumpkin” class, and the new members of the Payson Pumpkin People!
And now it’s time to go to work on the 2019 season. The patch has awaken from its winter sleep, the soil tests are back, and tomorrow we start the prep for the May transplanting. We’ll start fertilizing tomorrow, and lowering the PH toward that magic 7.0 figure (we are at 7.7 right now).
We’ll start our seeds indoors next weekend, and be ready to transplant to the patch three weeks later, about May 11th. We are looking for a soil temperature of 70F (at 6” deep) to do the transplants successfully, and if we don’t have it in early May, we’ll apply black plastic around the planting mounds to drive the soil temperatures up.
We will be roto-tilling after the next few weeks of amendments, fertilizer, etc. are added to the soil each week, on the advice of our expert mentors.
Average last frost in Payson is May 8th, average first frost is Oct 19th. That’s a 163 day growing season – perfect!
And yes, there is a slight chance of snow in the long-range forecast for next weekend. Spring is here, but it isn’t summer.
Steve
Follow us on FaceBook where all of our updates and photos are located at one place:
Payson Pumpkin People
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1566268573483464/"
Thank you PaysonPumpkinPeople.
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