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Used a cardboard box to guard against the wind in the plot. The idea was to use them until they outgrew them and the transition to an A frame cloch. Problem is we didn't transition soon enough and I think the main stem is too tall. On one plant it looks like 4 inches from the soil to the cot leaves. The plants are growing too vertical reaching for the light. The sides of the boxes are about 8 inches high. Other then that the plants look great...about 4-5 true leaves but no vining yet.

So for a solution I am thinking of staking about 12-18" off the main stump and tie a loose loop with that wide plastic plant tie, around the stump leaving about an inch of extra room. Thinking that if the plant start to lean it will only be able to lean one inch and then we can lower it down over the next week to ten days...maybe having to support that initial bend throughout the season.

Follow? Any thoughts or other ideas? I am aware how fragile the vines are and only move them in the warm afternoon.

5/31/2008 11:47:29 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

There are a lot of different methods of supporting the vine and helping it lay down a little at a time. You are on the right track.

6/1/2008 1:02:30 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

If it's not vining yet why not just mound some more dirt to support the stem till it starts vining then work the vine down.

6/1/2008 9:19:42 AM

That is what I am going to try and do.....so no problems mounding more dirt around the main stump up to the bottom of the cot leaves?

Might have a small issue with more mounding in that we already have our plants in a 10" high mound....so 4" of more dirt is going to make a pretty big mound...but I will just scoop lots of dirt from around the plant to make a nice ramp down.

6/1/2008 10:56:29 AM

Aurora, IL

If you add more soil to support the stem, aren't you encouraging it to continue to grow up? Also, how many main leaves appear before they start vining and lay down? If my haven't layed down yet, do I still need a wind break?

6/18/2008 6:54:29 AM