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Donnie Hurdt MN
- Posts: 1723
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:14 pm
- Location: North Prairie, MN
If you dont get an early killing frost maby you will.
PMCA member and Martin fanatic....
2011 A pair of subbies fledged three young but none returned in 2012
2015 One Pair of subbies came and stayed a few nits but got chased away by Bluebirds and Tree swallows.
2017 0ne pair of subbies nested and fledged 4 young
2018 Tree Swallows AGAIN chased away any martins that wanted to nest
2019 Same old story................
2011 A pair of subbies fledged three young but none returned in 2012
2015 One Pair of subbies came and stayed a few nits but got chased away by Bluebirds and Tree swallows.
2017 0ne pair of subbies nested and fledged 4 young
2018 Tree Swallows AGAIN chased away any martins that wanted to nest
2019 Same old story................
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
sorry, double post
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
T think the hot weather hurts the gourds a lot. I watered mine but when it got real hot at night, the gourds quit growing when the nighttime temps got above 80deg. The nighttime temps seem to bother them the most. Next year, I will try starting them earlier so the nighttime temps will be lower.
Then we had 3 or 4 weeks of cooler nighttime temps, and the gourds started growing again at my house, but then it got hot again, and they quit again.
Then we had 3 or 4 weeks of cooler nighttime temps, and the gourds started growing again at my house, but then it got hot again, and they quit again.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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starling shooter
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:43 pm
- Location: Central MO
RD- Hoping for a late frost, that may help with the late ones.
I tried some different genetics this year was trying to grow some big horizontals. I've got unbelievable vines but only 30% big gourds and it remains to be seen how thick they will be. Almost all the gourds that grew last year were large enough for PMs Next year, I plan on going back to what I had before. Last year may have been extremely rare for gourd growing (wet and not too hot).
Keep us posted on how your gourds turn out.
I tried some different genetics this year was trying to grow some big horizontals. I've got unbelievable vines but only 30% big gourds and it remains to be seen how thick they will be. Almost all the gourds that grew last year were large enough for PMs Next year, I plan on going back to what I had before. Last year may have been extremely rare for gourd growing (wet and not too hot).
Keep us posted on how your gourds turn out.
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
I will do 2 things to try to improve the gourds. The pH on my soil is about 8, so I will add some supfur. I rad that they like a pH of about 6.5. Also, some people got them to grow thicker by adding a bit pf potash, so I will try that again.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Guest
Emil Pampell,
I live in NW.PA. and my gourds are the best gourds I have grown in 5 years.I have 40 gourds that are 10 to 16 in.across.Before
this year I always used birdhouse gourds seeds,I didn't know that there were purplemartin gourds seeds.My biggest gourds use to be around 9 to 10 in.across.My gourds this years look just like the plastic ones you buy
with the short stubby necks and all my birdhouse gourds had long necks.
I got my seeds from a guy on this forum he said they were from Mississippi .I should have alot of seeds this winter if everything goes right
I would be gad to sent you some .Check out this site.www.virtualseeds.com
Don
I live in NW.PA. and my gourds are the best gourds I have grown in 5 years.I have 40 gourds that are 10 to 16 in.across.Before
this year I always used birdhouse gourds seeds,I didn't know that there were purplemartin gourds seeds.My biggest gourds use to be around 9 to 10 in.across.My gourds this years look just like the plastic ones you buy
with the short stubby necks and all my birdhouse gourds had long necks.
I got my seeds from a guy on this forum he said they were from Mississippi .I should have alot of seeds this winter if everything goes right
I would be gad to sent you some .Check out this site.www.virtualseeds.com
Don
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prager
My gourds did very well with a little help from the sprinkler and fertilizer. I gave away gourd seeds earlier this year and sent them all over the states. I have about 30 nice size gourds hanging on the chain link fence and my neighbor must have 50+. He liked my plants last year so I gave him a ziplock bag full of seeds and he sent them to all his kids and planted his all along his fence. I am going to order two more hanging gourd racks from Dave at S&K and hope to fill them with PMs next year TOO!
I still have plenty of seeds from last year if anyone wants some send me an email and I will get them out.
Have a Great Weekend!
Go Eagles!!
Pete
I still have plenty of seeds from last year if anyone wants some send me an email and I will get them out.
Have a Great Weekend!
Go Eagles!!
Pete
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Don, my gourd crop actually was very good. I got about 4 or 5 usable gourds (9 to 12in) from each plant that have beautiful shapes, as I got the seeds early this year from Alabama.
My problem for years is the thickness of the gourds. I have since found out that a balanced soil with a pH of about 6.5 is excellent, the nighttime temps need to be 50 to 75 deg, and a bit of potash really makes them thick.
My problem is the nighttime temps get up to like 80 to 85 deg, and the gourds quit growing. I have excellent seeds, the gourds simply get thicker in cooler climates, so I bet you do get nice gourds, especially if you have a slightly acid soil & a high potash content. The pH of my soil is about 9, so I will aid some sulfur & a bit of potash, but I really do think that my seeds are fine. The gourds get much thicker in Alabama than they do here, so I know that it is more related to temps, pH, and potash than it is to the seeds, as my seeds get excellent shaped gourds.
My problem for years is the thickness of the gourds. I have since found out that a balanced soil with a pH of about 6.5 is excellent, the nighttime temps need to be 50 to 75 deg, and a bit of potash really makes them thick.
My problem is the nighttime temps get up to like 80 to 85 deg, and the gourds quit growing. I have excellent seeds, the gourds simply get thicker in cooler climates, so I bet you do get nice gourds, especially if you have a slightly acid soil & a high potash content. The pH of my soil is about 9, so I will aid some sulfur & a bit of potash, but I really do think that my seeds are fine. The gourds get much thicker in Alabama than they do here, so I know that it is more related to temps, pH, and potash than it is to the seeds, as my seeds get excellent shaped gourds.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Guest
Emil Pampell,
Thanks for the information on potash, I didn't know that it helps to make the gourds thicker.You are probably right about the PH. Here in NWPA my soil runs around 5.6 to 6.0 I have to use lime.Next year I'll
add some potash to see if I can notice any difference in the thickness.I had my soil tested last year and had to add lime the potash was ok. but i'm still going to add some.
Good Luck In 2006
Thanks
Don
Thanks for the information on potash, I didn't know that it helps to make the gourds thicker.You are probably right about the PH. Here in NWPA my soil runs around 5.6 to 6.0 I have to use lime.Next year I'll
add some potash to see if I can notice any difference in the thickness.I had my soil tested last year and had to add lime the potash was ok. but i'm still going to add some.
Good Luck In 2006
Thanks
Don