Starting Seed – Place four (4) drops of Monty’s 4-15-12 seed starter in 1 cup (8 oz.) of water. Soak seeds overnight. Plant seeds normally. Add additional water as needed to moisten the soil.

While the seedling is getting established you may occasionally add 1-2 drops of Monty’s 2-15-15 per cup of water as part of your normal watering. It is important to keep the seedling in good health and provide water as frequently as needed.

Continue using 2-15-15 through the early stages of development until three true leaves are visible above the soil to encourage vigorous root development while keeping top growth to a minimum. The high levels of Potassium and Phosphorous in our Root and Bloom formula are ideal for this purpose.

In Season – Using one of the application methods described in the “General Application Guidelines” section of this website, apply Monty’s 8-16-8 Growth Formula weekly until the first buds begin to form.

Once buds begin to open, you can begin alternating regular applications of Monty’s 2-15-15 and Monty’s 8-16-18 Root & Bloom. Monty’s 2-15-15 can be applied semi-weekly through final harvest for optimum results. Use the application method described in the “General Application Guidelines” that best suits your current gardening practices. During this period is important to pinch suckers off regularly and to prune the plant to keep it contained in it’s designated area so that the plant can expend it’s energy producing fruit rather than maintain foliage.

As your fruit develops, regular harvests will keep the plant producing vigorously.

Applications of Monty’s Calcium Plus can also assist in developing quality fruit. Calcium provides several known advantages to the overall health and appearance of fruit, especially large, heavy fruit, like pumpkins. Monty’s Calcium Plus makes applying calcium easy. Simply mix 2.5 – 3 ounces per gallon of water in a pump sprayer or pour the contents into a hose-end sprayer, undiluted, and set the dial to 2 tablespoons water normally. Using either method, the goal is to apply the product until the plant looks like it has had a light rain or heavy dew. If using the hose-end method, any unused product can be poured back into the bottle for later use.

Post-Harvest – The period following harvest is the period when you can best amend your soil to correct issues like poor pH levels, compaction, or poorly draining soils.

To improve soil condition we recommend using Monty’s Liquid Carbon soil conditioner at a rate of 2.5 oz per gallon of water. With a dial and spray type applicator, fill the reservoir with MLC and set dial to 2 Tablespoons. Apply to the soil until the ground is evenly moist, not saturated. Repeat monthly until desired soil texture or pH level is achieved.

Make sure you clear off as much garden waste and any decaying fruit as possible as this will serve as a place for plant-specific pest to over-winter. Once the waste is removed it can be placed in a compost pile and returned as nutrient rich ‘soil’ next season. Applying Monty’s Liquid Carbon to your compost pile at a rate of 2.5 ounces per gallon of water will help to feed the microbes and boost breakdown of organic matter into compost. This application of MLC can also be used if you are attempting to breakdown manures or other forms of organic waste for inclusion into your garden.

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