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New Brunswick

I now have a 43 inch cir. pumpkin on my 640 Gardner main vine. Is this a good size for an 18 day old pumpkin? There is also one about half as big on another vine. Should I cull all other pumpkins and save these two? (There are at least 3 small ones started on the main vine out beyond my larger one plus several more on other vines.) The smaller pumpkin is only a couple of days behind in age, yet it is only half the larger ones size. Should I cull it and keep another one in case the "baby" would grow faster? Should I just cull the ones on the main vine (beyond the big one) and leave the others alone for awhile to see what they do. Decisions decisions.... do I have everyone confused yet?? LOL

7/22/2003 12:26:43 PM

Edmonton, Canada

I would cull the second one that's only half the size. As a general rule of thumb, if at 10 days you're hit 20 inches, and at 20 days youve hit 60 inches, you'd be on pace for a biggie. I think you may be a bit behind that pace with your biggest. By culling the smaller fruit, you may encourage quicker growth. Just make sure you don't cull too much at once, or you could cause things to explode! You should leave a few of the smaller ones on the vine for now to use as shock absorbers.

7/22/2003 12:33:47 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

I just cut a pumpkin off of my 805 Pukos that was 42 inches in circ. It was on a side vine. I have kept the one that is growing on the main about 20 ft out. There is another 5 ft after the pumpkin. I have kept another that is growing on a side vine for a shock absorber.

7/22/2003 2:41:10 PM

New Brunswick

Ye gads....the jackknife thing again..... I hate this culling. It would be easier to pick the females that come out after the first two have been pollinated and set. LOL But then again it serves the smaller one right! It just should have grown faster. And with that attitude out I shall go armed with my second trusty knife. (I lost the other one in ...you guessed it..the pumkin patch)...if only I can maintain this hard attitude till morning....

7/22/2003 11:25:41 PM

New Brunswick

Polka dot...how big is your larger one and how old?

7/22/2003 11:34:10 PM

New Brunswick

Smitty...would there really be a difference in culling the second largest and allowing several of the smaller ones to remain as opposed to culling the small ones and allowing it to remain? I am getting all sentimental about that pumpkin....gasp smother wheeze...(I'm getting all choked up)

7/22/2003 11:36:43 PM

Edmonton, Canada

The small ones probably won't take as much energy combined as the medium sized one. There's no perfect answer in this sport, but if your goal is one biggy, then I'd get rid of that second one. If you want 2 decent sized one's then you can leave it.

Whatever you do, good luck!

7/23/2003 11:06:37 AM

Usa

Just out of curiosty, can you get seeds out of the pumpkins you cull? Are they developed yet?

7/23/2003 4:37:38 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

hey Diane they say if they're on around fifty days they will have mature seeds.

7/23/2003 8:36:57 PM

Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Is that 50 days from pollination?

7/24/2003 12:33:11 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

thats my understanding is 50 from pollenation...not saying that you can't have some good earlier but that is like anything else in this sport...a rule of thumb...maybe wait for one of the big guys to chime in before you go on my underestanding...I could be wrong. Chuck

7/24/2003 12:51:17 PM

Montoursville, PA

Yes...I think the jargon is from pollenation to a given stated fact in size or estimated weight.

7/24/2003 1:41:26 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

Desert storm

The one that I kept is 21 days old and is now 43 inches in circ. It grew 4 inches since last night. I hated to cull the other one, but this one is in a much better spot and I have high hopes for this pumpkin named Agent K.

7/24/2003 2:02:28 PM

New Brunswick

Hi Polka dot. Well, I measured mine today and at 21 days (today) it measures 55 inches cir. I still have the other one on a seperate vine. It is a couple of days younger and measures 40 inches. When you say a side vine...do you mean another vine off the main stump or one that is coming from the same main vine that your pumpkin is on? I had a main vine on my 945 Van split and there was a pumpkin growing on each of the new formed vines. They were really close together. I culled the smaller one yesterday. How old was your other one when you culled it? Now I see I did the opposite of what you did...I kept my two largest and you kept some smaller ones with your largest. I culled the two or three that were on the same vine as the larger one. The big guy grew 4 to 5 inches since yesterday....so at least it is still growing. *grin* I am allowing each of my 4 plants to have two pumpkins. So far, I am keeping the two largest ones...maybe that is a bad idea...but it just makes more sense to me. (At least for now) That way, I have a backup if I lose one. I guess I just do not like to keep all my eggs in one basket. (<: However, I am prone to change my mind (like most of us gals) and if that second pumpkin does not gain as well as I think it should, I will cull it after all. I still have another one or two on that plant as a shock absorber...and I am keeping a close eye on that one. Good luck , Sue

7/25/2003 10:07:37 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

Hi Desert Storm

The one that I have kept is on secondary growing off the main vine. I got rid of the pumpkin growing on the main vine because it was a very ugly pumpkin, very skinny and long. The one that I have chosen to keep is nice and round. There is another pumpkin on a secondary that is being used for a shock absorber.

7/27/2003 6:24:34 PM