From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ironton, ohio

Terminating the main vine at the the pumpkin. What was everyone’s experience? Success? Failure? Will you do it again next season? I’m still an s curve guy but certainly see potential advantages for terminating.

10/24/2022 6:28:36 PM

Austin MN

I did it this year and went from a 1305 PB to 1989.5. Now I know I did a lot of things differently but I definitely do think it helped me a bunch. I let the secondary’s after the fruit turn into mains and pitch forked all the 3rds on them to fill in around the fruit. In my opinion it made fruit positioning and maintenance much easier.

Just my 2 cents.

10/24/2022 7:39:07 PM

Lodi, California

Nice job on the PB Tanner. I missed that

10/24/2022 8:31:17 PM

Grittyville, WA

Tanner, you meant, the secondaries prior to the pumpkin? Or did you leave the two secondaries past the pumpkin as well? (An interesting idea.)

10/24/2022 9:44:06 PM

San Diego

Started ending main at pumpkin 3 years ago, never go back to bending a main. So much easier to manage stress on the vine and stem and I grew bigger fruit. At the very least, it doesn't hurt growth, so why mess with the vine and issues that come up?

10/24/2022 10:52:28 PM

Colorado

Quite a few good growers are terming the main after the stem but keeping that secondary.Its supposed to be a good blend of pushing the little pumpkin early and not loosing as many close proximity(to the fruit) leaves. Sounds worth a try to me.

10/25/2022 12:05:31 AM

Austin MN

The two secondary’s right behind the pumpkin. I didn’t let the thirds grow out for 4ish feet both sides on those secondary’s so the pumpkin had room to grow then let all the 3rds facing forward grow out and pitch forked them to fill in around the fruit. I’ll try to post a picture some time :)

10/25/2022 7:14:36 AM

Stanwood, Washington

Moby Mike terminated the main on his 2520.

10/25/2022 11:44:21 AM

Kutztown, PA

What's the normal timing. Someone posted, "He tries to have everything terminated by 30 days after pollination. The thought was that all the energy needs to go to the pumpkin at that point. (Don't remember who said it though)

Tconway, did you ever terminate the pitch fork tertiaries?

10/25/2022 2:54:59 PM

Austin MN

I let mine keep going till space was filled in. So I had vines going in august still and IMO I don’t think it slowed growth down. My thinking was I’d rather slow growth down some now and have a late season push with fresh foliage.

10/25/2022 4:18:46 PM

Muddy Waters

I think Moby Mike proved it works great stop the plant at the pumpkin. What did Travis Do on the 2560?

10/25/2022 7:10:50 PM

Mn

75 foot main

10/26/2022 8:17:14 AM

Upper Strasburg, PA

Seems like a good way to reduce stress on the stem.

10/26/2022 2:16:12 PM

Upper Strasburg, PA

The first time I heard this idea was from a world record grower in the mid 2000’s.

10/26/2022 2:17:53 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

I typically terminate at the main. I've got a small patch (400 sf) and its somewhat of a challenge to keep room after the fruit for the plant to grow. I feel the space is better used for plant growth in front of the pumpkin. I do try to keep one post-fruit secondary going if possible.

That and all the other reasons listed.

75' foot main? Are you kidding me? Wow that is amazing!

10/26/2022 6:43:11 PM

Anchorage Alaska

So Travis , I am assuming since you let main grow , did you prune all the side vines of the the main ,and just let the tip keep growing , since you were way past the pumpkin ?

10/26/2022 11:50:12 PM

Muddy Waters

Ok I'm a little slow so Travis is waterstone1? I just figured that out, I think all theory's are dead in the water now. LOL Grow then every which a way I will see you at the scales! ROFL
Good Luck to ALL ! Joe Alits told u3 to let it GROW! in like 2016 Thanks JOE!

10/27/2022 5:22:30 AM

Grittyville, WA

Travis would've had a world record if he hadnt exhausted his poor plant growing that 70 ft main :) Totally kidding because who really knows.

10/27/2022 7:27:01 AM

Mn

I kept quite a lot of side vines past the pumpkin as well. Appical dominance, main broke off in Aug.

10/27/2022 10:09:28 PM

Anchorage Alaska

thanks Travis , I also let the main grow 60 plus feet , with 20 ft outside the gh , in our short season I am still not sure if that is a good thing or not , for maximum pumpkin growth , but I did have my best year ever.. despite the last 6 weeks with no sun..

10/27/2022 11:43:38 PM