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Minnesota

I've had a lot of damage from deer terminating my main and secondaries. I'm wondering if there is any situation where tertiary vines add value to the plant, or do they just use energy that should go to the pumpkin and always be terminated, regardless of circumstances? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

8/3/2020 11:35:54 PM

Grittyville, WA

My lack of success this year would again indicate they have no value. But they might, as part of a well thought out vine configuartion, or if you are lucky enough to have a pumpkin continue to pack on pounds late into the fall. Those leaves might contribute to your September gains...

8/4/2020 2:45:39 AM

Syracuse, NY

i enjoy the idea of terminating a secondary and letting the last tertiary bud remain to continue growth at a right angle from there, especially if i don't want to totally shut off that outlet and instead keep it going just for fun; i do not feel that terts are from another planet or anything - they are there to do EXACTLY what i use them for or as a means of survival against, oh, i dunno...deer? perhaps on those severed vines there are buds that could be allowed to take over as what were recently secondaries. if there were NO tertiaries, any vine that was deer-bitten would be yes, terminated...but Nature has a way of succeeding, IMHO---good luck with it---eg
PS---the plant's energy comes from the sun, and there's never a shortage, just a subjective delegation of how it is used by the plant/grower duo - wish i had all this BS in my patch, huh?! ha ha eg

8/4/2020 3:38:34 AM

Centennial Colorado

I allow tertiaries to grow. I think they do add value in later season growth. I had hail a few years ago and secondaries with tertiaries saved my season.

8/4/2020 9:33:29 AM

Nampa

I feel that tertiary growth has value if you need leaves. The timing is not ideal as you would rather be growing pumpkin, but you need leaves first.

8/4/2020 3:30:56 PM

Wixom MI.

Unfortunately im in the same boat as you but i had chipmunks terminate my main and all my secondaries too. So i needed tirtiary vines just to set a pumpkin ? I now have set 2 pumkins on tirtiary vines and i will probably set 2 or 3 more yet !!! I figured that its to late to grow a 1,000 pounder and they are all on tirtiary vines witch are far inferior so why not grow 4 or 5 small 300 pound pumpkins instead !!!

8/4/2020 6:13:32 PM

Colorado

It has value,its better than bare dirt It will compete for light with the weeds which we all agree dont ad value.Typically you have a space right behind the stump and right after the pumpkin that need filling in.

8/4/2020 6:15:14 PM

Minnesota

Thanks everyone. Your answers have been very helpful. I'm going to let them go since I have space, don't have as many secondaries or leafs as I would like and I've got limited time left in the growing season.

8/4/2020 8:45:54 PM