From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Buffalo, New York

I am confused when people say they a female "set" on a vine. what does that mean "set"?

This is my first year growing a.g. pumpkins.

My plant is hugeeeeeee.

i pollinated 4 pumpkins on saturday morning, 1 on the main vine about 15 feet out and 3 on 3 different secondary vines.

i know have a 2nd pumpkin on my main vines about 20' out with (7) lobes/segments.

I also have numerous females growing on my other secondary vines.

I am lost as to which ones to remove.

my biggest one so far is almost the size of a tennis ball on a secondary vine.

i pollinated the 4 of them two mornings ago, how long before i remove some and how about all the baby females i am still seeing pop out. (not sure if my pollination did anything, how can i tell)?

any help is greatly appreciated?

jr

7/16/2007 8:40:43 AM

Buffalo, New York

also, maine vine now laying 23' out approximately with fruit and 15' and 20'.
when should i cut and bury main vine?

7/16/2007 10:16:09 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Jeremy, set refers to the fact that the fruit is actively growing and appears to be thriving on the vine.

I would continue to let your main vine a little longer if you have the room.

Vine burring can begin as soon as possible after the side vines has appeared on the main. Be careful not to cover up the tender young side vine with soil, you could impede its development by covering it.

7/16/2007 11:12:40 AM

Buffalo, New York

since my biggest pumpkin is almost the size of a tennis ball, i wouldnt say any of them are thriving.

i have a good 4-6' i can still let the main vine grow.

like i said, this is my first year growing these beasts, i will be happy with a 100 pound pumpkin this year. but i am sure that is still hard to do.

7/16/2007 11:28:56 AM

Santa Cruz, CA

We usually don't grow any pumpkins on our secondary vines and when discovered pinch them off when they are gumball size. We only keep pumpkins on the main vine and hand pollinate them all. We will decide in a few weeks what one pumpkin to keep and cull or cut all the other ones off. Pumpkins typically grow bigger on the main vine as opposed to side vines.

7/16/2007 12:03:03 PM

Cornell, Wi

jeremy you should be able to grow a 150 -200 lbs with out looking at your pumpkin plant, last year was my second year and I did it all wrong, planted 4 feet apart and did not prune a vine, and let them all grow, these were also seeds that were from the market, "open pollinated" and my biggest was 350, all were over 100 lbs,

7/16/2007 4:44:17 PM

Buffalo, New York

since i am not going for a world record, i think i may leave more femaes on my plant then most of you guys.

how many pumpkins do you guys grow on each plant?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5............

7/17/2007 11:13:37 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Jeremy, the big boyz and girlz only grow 1 fruit per plant and that is a problem for some of us that only have room for 1 or 2 plants.

Look at JD's diary....he is done cause he had no back up fruit on this 1068 plant...a shame!!

Newer growers with limited space (in my opinion) should grow 1 pumpkin on the main vine and then another on a secondary for good luck. I've had so many split and crack on me over the years that I have been lucky to have a "back-up" or secondary fruit to take me to Halloween.

If and when I have more land, I will most likely shift to 1 pumpkin per plant. Last year I grew 2 plants and was going for it with only 1 pumpkin per plant and both split on me and the season was done.....all those trick or treaters asking us "where are the huge pumpkins mister"

7/17/2007 8:49:24 PM