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Kutztown, PA

I'm planning to remove a pumpkin a pollinated last week and go with Andy's advice to pollinate further out on the vine. The pumpkin is about the size of a baseball. I watched a video in which a guy cut half of the stem one day and the rest a couple of days later. This was done to prevent a "signal" to the main vine. Can anyone explain "signaling"?? Is there any science to back the theory up?

6/14/2022 8:32:11 AM

Grittyville, WA

I figure there must be a better and worse times of day to prune... morning or evening? mid-day or at night? Good question. I like science better than superstitions!

6/14/2022 10:51:15 AM

Kutztown, PA

Assuming the remaining stem portion of an amputated pumpkin would need to send some sort of "bad" hormonal/chemical signal back to the mother ship seems unlikely to me. To what end? From a biological perspective: For any plant the purpose of producing a fruit is to perpetuate life. With that in mind it makes more sense that if a signal is sent it would be more of a "notification" than something "bad". Examples might be: "I've fallen off the vine so send my little sister my share of the food." Fair well forever; if you want another one like me you better start making one. I'm mortally wounded thus need your complete undivided attention. For the purpose of perpetuating it's own genes it makes more sense that the signal would be a good one. Perhaps even a helpful one. Does it occur - I'd like to know more.

6/14/2022 11:30:22 AM

Benson, MN

I had this issue 2 years ago. I had a 10 day old fruit at 15' that was OK and another fruit at 7 day old at 18'. The younger fruit was better positioned on the vine and was growing better than the older, therefor I decided to cull the older. This, as you were asking sent a "signal" overnight to the plant to shift gears. I ended up turning the younger fruit into PacMan overnight. So last year, when I had the same situation I erred on the side of caution and cut the stem halfway and then completely 24hrs later, and didn't have an issue. Now is that just coincidence, perhaps. In my opinion it may be a timing issue but if you chop off a sink that is growing it could put too much energy to new fruit. And sorry, as I'm typing and rereading your comment, I see you don't have a second fruit pollinated yet. So all I can say, it's tough to cut a set fruit when you don't have another set yet for sure.

6/14/2022 1:20:36 PM

Bethlehem CT

I always thought the reason to cut half was to prevent a surge of growth in the smaller "keeper" fruit which would in turn cause it to split. So in a sense the signal is a good one but perhaps it is too much of a good one and the redirected energy could cause the back up to split. As far as any scientific studies being done I don't think most of the stuff we do is backed in scientific studies. We just know the things we do seem to work, or in the least don't hurt. A lot of it comes down to how much time you have and how much caution you take in the patch. When I first started in this hobby I used to do things like take half the vine out one day and take the other half out the next. These days I don't really sweat it. Chances are I am cutting the pumpkin off all at once.

6/14/2022 1:31:35 PM

Grittyville, WA

I believe plants may have a reproductive vs vegetative mode, I think they do chemically sense when the conditions are right for more growth, or for a switch to reproduction. Its possible the plant chemistry changes due to being "pregnant". There is supposedly a switch, away from auxins, to cytokinins. I think it could mess up the plants hormones a bit. But like bigmoon said, do I care? Not really. Its hard to care about things that I dont fully understand.

6/14/2022 1:45:08 PM

TooTall & big moon, from what I have ever seen on this site that is exactly the thought (growth surge) behind cutting part way through the stem. I do not think there is a "signal" but all the energy suddenly goes to the other pumpkin that is on the vine. When all the eggs are being put into 1 basket there is no back up plan so people like to do whatever may help protect that basket. Right or wrong, who knows! In this case there is no other.

6/14/2022 2:42:31 PM

Kutztown, PA

All food for thought I guess. Thanks for your input.

6/14/2022 3:45:14 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Moon is right on.:)

I learned the hard way years ago! lol:(

I'll be doing a 1\2 cut tonight on one of my fruit.

6/14/2022 7:37:03 PM

Kutztown, PA

I just pollinated the second pumpkin on the main this a.m. so once I'm sure it's taken I'll do the 1/2 cut. I'm feeling pretty good about getting these pollinated early this year. I was also able to pollinate a different plant this a.m. so now I have a 2200 Wolf x 1760 Uhlmeyer both ways. A lot of water has to go over the dam between now and accepting the prize for the 2023 world record but I'm off to a good start:)

6/15/2022 8:22:03 AM

Syracuse, NY

So, yer one o' them 'Weigh off, in the future' kinda guys, huh? Good luck! - eg

6/16/2022 3:55:58 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I remember reading post after post on here about ways to cull without affecting the keeper. Half notches were used quite often as the guys mentioned above. It's like when people would soak the ground before a heavy rain to prevent a sudden surge and split the pumpkin. I still practice that method, but really have no idea if it is doing anything.

6/16/2022 9:01:34 AM

Grittyville, WA

@Smallmouth, its interesting to consider whether it might be the reduction in calcium concentration in the plant/xylem which causes the split, or is it the excess hydration/excess turgor. Maybe both can.

6/16/2022 10:16:14 AM

Kutztown, PA

I figure if I can keep my plants alive and the pumpkin warm over the winter of 2022 the pumpkin should big enough for a 2023 weigh off. :)

6/16/2022 1:20:38 PM

Syracuse, NY

Waaaaauuuughhhh, lol---good! eg

6/16/2022 1:48:45 PM

Grittyville, WA

Lol. Yep some of my smaller plants are on track for an "early '23 pollination" lol.

6/16/2022 1:52:06 PM

Colorado

Gar thats a really slow and steady wins the race scenario.

6/16/2022 2:42:07 PM

Kutztown, PA

If I can just get through January and February without any hiccups I should be fine.

6/16/2022 3:08:20 PM