From

Location

Message

Date Posted

New Hampshire, USA

Can anyone give specific instructions on how to get the pumpkin 90 degrees to the vine, and when to do it?

7/19/2008 10:15:26 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

I'll tell you how I do it but I'm sure others have their own methonds.
When the flower is about to open (a few days before to a few days after) before the vine gets too stiff I put a 90 degree bend in the vine so that the pumpkin is on the outside of the bend. This gives me 270 degrees of "empty space" to work with. For a picture of this check out they July 5th entry in my diary http://www.brianchristensenmd.com/2008_July.html?1214972504820
Then once the pumpkin is about volley ball size I put a 5 gallon bucket of sand underneath the pumpkin. The sand works as a base for the pumpkin but also holds it in place when I start to move the pumpkin. In the heat of the day over several days I will move the pumpkin about 10 degrees or so each day so that it comes off of the vine at 135 degrees from each side. It is not perpendicular--perpindicular doesn't give you enough room to work with the shoulders. I will let the main grow in the new directiion--perpendicular to its original course for 2-4 feet before straitening it out. Hopefully I have a female on the opposite side of the vine about then and then do the procedure again and the vine is now headed in the correct direction.
Trying to move the pumpkin before they are volley ball size is impossible they just don't stay put.

7/20/2008 12:10:03 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I try to put a bend in the main vine as I see the new female blossom start to form. I just train the vine with sticks, being careful not to kink it. Seems to work fine for me.

7/20/2008 5:35:00 AM

Vancouver Island

I do similar things with the vine, but always in the hotter parts of the day when the vine is more flexible.

7/20/2008 10:51:09 AM

New Hampshire, USA

Thanks for the advice, one more question my pumpkin is already set and is 21" in circumference and the vine is buried, should I try turning the vine at this point or just move the pumpkin a little at a time? Jim

7/20/2008 12:24:04 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

Probably getting too late to move the vine. However if you have a really short stem it may be worth moving the vine. It will save you much grief in a month or so. If your stem is decent then live with it. Now is the time to position the pumpkin. Move it a little each day so that it is perpedicular or whatever angle is best.
Another point that is seldom mentioned is moving the pumpkin away from the vine. The pumpkin is growing in all directions and is pushing the stem into the vine and hence the vine and the shoulders of the pumpkins are getting closer. If you will lift and pull the pumpkin away from the vine several times between now and when it is too heavy to move you will gain several inches of shoulder room that may make the difference in the end.
This part scares me more then turning the pumkin. Do it when it is hot and things are more flexible. Again a little bit more frequently is probably much better the all at once.

7/20/2008 1:49:22 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I never bury the vine close to the pumpkin. Instead I will cut the vine roots at least 2 nodes each direction from the pumpkin so the vine can raise as the pumpkin grows. I even block the vine up with styrofoam to keep stress off the stem.

7/21/2008 9:52:53 AM

Ct

I have one growing and is about the size of large golf ball now. There is a leaf and stem that came from the other side of the vine and underneath, right next to the fruit, preventing me from shifting it anywhere. Can I clip this stem and leaf off??

7/21/2008 10:06:30 AM

New Hampshire, USA

yes

7/21/2008 8:36:30 PM