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Western PA

Looking at alot of pics on other growers diaries, I notice that alot of the main vines look to be cut right after the pumpkin. What is the reason for this?
I thought it is best to have the main gowing beyond the fruit for a while.

10/16/2009 8:42:29 PM

Winston Salem NC

Alot of mains get cut just past the pumpkin to help keep stem stress off the pumpkin. More plant past the fruit is benifitual in my opinion but my 1258 was grown with all the plant behind it. The main broke behind a hold down on a cool day so I just went with that.

10/16/2009 10:02:16 PM

Western PA

Wow, did a wind storm cause it to break ?

10/17/2009 8:10:13 AM

Rhode Island

TO RON AND I CUTTING THE MAIN AT THE PUMPKIN IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO.
BY DOING SO YOU HAVE ELIMINATED A POTENTIAL VINE STRESS PROBLEM AS THE FRUIT GROWS. A LOT LESS TAP ROOT CUTTING AS WELL.
WE MAKE UP FOR ANY LOSS OF MAIN VINE BY ALLOWING A SET OF SIDES JUST BEFORE THE FRUIT TO GROW OUT TO THE TWELVE FT MARK ON EACH SIDE OF FRUIT.
WE THEN ALLOW THIRD STAGE GROWTH TO GROW STRAIGHT BACK PAST THE SIDES OF THE PUMPKIN AND DOWN TO END OF PLANT AREA
AKA- "THE PITCHFORK"

10/17/2009 9:19:57 AM

Western PA

Pap,with the pitchfork technique, how far out do you try to get a fruit set?
And how long do you let your secondaries get from the stump out to the fruit ?
Thank you ,
Lee

10/17/2009 10:40:36 AM

Corbin, KY

Because of stem stress had to cut both of mine. I think I will cut them all from now on. 1238 and 1094.5 were 14 feet out. Had 15' secondaries.

10/17/2009 11:08:33 AM

Belgium Europe

When do you cut main after pumpkin , pap?
As soon as female bud is there ?
Or right after pollination?
Or do you wait till you are sure pollination took ?

10/17/2009 6:36:04 PM

Rhode Island

jos - we do not cut main at the pumpkin until sure we have the choosen one.usually end up keeping the first or second pollination in most cases

zap - we strive to set fruit between 12 and 15 ft from the base. we grow the sides out to twelve ft on eaxh side of main.

ps------something else we tinkered with this year on the plant that grew my 1258. along with starting the plants base 8-10 ft in from edge of garden, we took the first set of side vines and allowed third stage growth to grow back toward the back of plant. filling in that area with third stage growth.
even though this plant foamed some at the base? i think the addition of growth around the base helped keep the excess water retention down and therefore did help preserve the base some ( even after drilling holes to allow draining ,etc.)

pap

10/18/2009 5:41:20 AM