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Rhode Island

SOON YOU NEW GROWERS WILL BE IN A SITUATION WHERE PUMPKINS MUST BE PRUNED AND KEEPERS DECIDED ON. ITS REALLY EASY IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO PONDER IN ORDER OF WHAT I CONSIDER MOST IMPORTANT

SIZE AND SHAPE OF FRUIT ------ DO YOU WANT A ROUND PUMPKIN OR AN OBLONG ONE? YOU CAN TELL FROM POLLINATION DAY JUST BY THE SHAPE YOU HAVE ----- IF I HAD THREE FRUIT ON A MAIN AND THE SECOND OR THIRD ONE DOWN THE LINE WAS GROWING AT A BETTER RATE THEN THE FIRST I WOULD GIVE THIS A LOT OF CONSIDERATION REGARDLESS OF SHAPE.
STEM LENGTH IS ALSO A CONSIDERATION WHEN SHAPE COMES TO MIND. A LONG STEM WITH A EGG SHAPED FRUIT IS FAR LESS LIKELY TO HAVE PROBLEMS THAN THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH BIG SHOULDERED TALL PUMPKINS. A GOOD MOVE HERE CAN REDUCE STRESS ON BOTH YOU AND YOUR PUMPKIN IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.
A GOOD CHOICE FOR BEGINNERS

VINE POSITIONING ----- ALWAYS DIRECT THE MAIN AWAY FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE MAIN THAT THE FRUIT WILL LAY. YOU CAN TELL LONG BEFORE ITS POLLINATED.
IF THE PUMPKIN IS DROPPING TO THE LEFT ? THEN ARCH THE MAIN & TIP AWAY FROM THE FRUIT TO THE RIGHT/ USE BAMBOO STALES TO AID IN THE MOVE.

CULLING ------ ITS GOOD ADVISE TO BE SURE THE FRUIT YOU WANT TO KEEP IS POSITIONED WHERE YOU WANT IT BEFORE CULLING OTHER PUMPKINS. ---- ALSO WHEN CULLING CUT HALF THE STEM ON DAY ONE,THEN TERMINATE THE PUMPKIN ON DAY TWO

PAP

6/18/2008 7:08:42 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Interesting: ALSO WHEN CULLING CUT HALF THE STEM ON DAY ONE,THEN TERMINATE THE PUMPKIN ON DAY TWO

Is that to minimize water loss from the plant?

6/18/2008 8:19:26 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Jordan, I think it means if you cut it off all at once the nutrients will go into the remaining fruit so fast it could split the fruit. By cutting over a couple days the shock to the remaining fruit is minimized and it has time to adjust to the added food it is receiving.

6/18/2008 9:48:57 PM

Cochecton, NY

Hey pap! Not near that stage yet, but I have a question. My bigger AG plant wich I refer to as money in my diary is showing lots of what appear to be the start of flowers real close to the base of the trunk. My main is only out there about a foot. I had slow growing early on! As for the little guys starting near the base. Will they move out or am I going to wind up cutting them off where they are? I am going to take more pics tomorrow, I will shoot them over to you if you don't mind. I have been told that you are as experienced as they come. Shoot me an e-mail @ Big24nut@hughes.net Then I will send you the pics!

Thanks,

Nick

6/18/2008 9:50:52 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Jordan, I think it means if you cut it off all at once the nutrients will go into the remaining fruit so fast it could split the fruit. By cutting over a couple days the shock to the remaining fruit is minimized and it has time to adjust to the added food it is receiving.

6/18/2008 10:02:23 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

BIG24NUT, they will be pretty much where they form, and those will all be males. Take them off until your main lays down and gets of size. When the plant starts getting out to the main being several feet, the females will be forming farther towards the growing tips, and the males will still be closer to the stump. (not exclusively, you will have some females close in and males farther out, but) The flowers will also get bigger as your plant gets some size to it... it's best at first to not let it bloom and just take all the buds off while they're fairly small (like an inch long) until your main's past eight feet...

6/18/2008 11:05:46 PM

Cochecton, NY

thank you OkieGal. Probably should apply a little fungicide where I snip them off right?

6/19/2008 7:57:52 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Thanks Pap, as usuall...youre always right on time..I really appreciate your time and sharing of your knowledge..Croley

6/19/2008 8:27:09 AM

Rhode Island

nick

it is normal for male flowers to first appear at the base of the plant. then as the main and side vines grow so will more male flowers show up along all the vines. by the time your main is big enough to pollinate a fruit on it ( 8 to 10 ft for your first year)the flowers at the base will be long gone and you will use males farther down the plant

jordan see replys from hoots dirt regarding why we cut off the stem of a culled fruit over a two day period--------right on

rubbing alchol sprayed lightly on vine and stem cuts works better and is more effective than bleach

6/19/2008 12:13:19 PM

Cochecton, NY

thank you sir!!!

6/19/2008 12:23:47 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Pap, never thought of that, do you use 70%, 91% or 99% rubbing alcohol?

6/19/2008 1:31:23 PM

Rhode Island

okie

any one will do. your only using a small misting on cuts,etc. good to use to spray your knife when youi move from one plant to another as well.( so you dont help spred disease )

6/19/2008 5:39:36 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Thanks Pap, it's just that I have all three on hand... usually I have one surgical implement per plant (10c paring knives from the thrift store) and was using bleach on them, not the vine. I'll give the alcohol a try.

6/19/2008 7:38:26 PM

Casa Grande, AZ

pap,
your information has helped me and others more than you know!!!! cant thank you enough for everything!!!!

6/20/2008 12:03:27 AM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Ah, ic. Makes sense. Thanks pap.

6/21/2008 1:57:31 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

...and Hoots, lol. My bad.

6/21/2008 1:57:43 PM