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Dillsburg, PA

I have a pumpkin on the main that is 33cir. at 12 days also I have another pumpkin on the side vine that is younger but growing well.Should I cull the side one or keep both. Will the plant be able to support both or is it a rule to only go one on a plant for maximum growth? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Jeff

7/26/2003 8:29:27 AM

KENTUCKY

jeff, no expert here(2nd year grower) But keep that fruit on the secondary as a buffer to not blow up your main fruit on the main. Yes you can keep both with no problems. traditionally, only 1 fruit per plant to maximize the size fo that 1 fruit.
If you decide to go with just the 1, keep the second as a buffer(so you main doesn't blow up). When you main fruit is not growing fast enough, you can SLOWLY cull the fruit on the secondary to increase growth of the main fruit. When i say slowly cull, cut the stem of the discarding fruit a little every day or every other day. maybee 25% mon, 25% tue, 25% thur etc. You have to make that decision on how hard you want to push your plant.
Good luck! hope this helps.
I'm sure you'll get more responses from more experienced growers.

7/26/2003 8:54:26 AM

Dillsburg, PA

Thanks for the reply it seems to make sense at this point to keep both especially since I have a bad position on the main. It seems like as the pumpkin gets bigger it will come in contact with the main vine after the pumpkin. I try moving it but it is growing on a slant(hill) and moving it up hill is difficult.I might have to terminate the vine about four inches past the pumpkin stem, that would be last case but I forsee it happening.If that is the case I will probably need that second one to buffer the loss about 8ft of the main.Hopefully that will not kill the pumpkin because it will not have any vine behind it. I would think it would work because most of the power is in front not in back of the pumpkin. Thanks, Jeff

7/26/2003 9:07:32 AM

Dillsburg, PA

Well I had to cut the main off today. About 10 ft past the pumpkin came off and the cut was made 3 inches past where the pumpkin stem is. I had to do it or let the pumpkin grow over the vine. I could not move it any further and its growing so fast 38inches cir. in twelve days that I did not want to lose it. Will see what happens now either the pumpkin will grow or it will rot. I put dacanel on the main cut and I am wondering if I should seal it with something? This will teach me a lesson about choosing vine positioning for next year.Jeff

7/27/2003 10:01:55 AM

Montoursville, PA

Hey Jeff.........you can physically pick up the fruit or the vine and move them a quarter inch a day safely. I messed up not knowing but all remaining pumpkins are being position daily now. We are getting out of our mess.

I had one that truely I left grow into an impossible situation. It got culled day 12 about fifty inches. I really did not know this had to begin instantly following pollination. Grower error...speaking. We learn as we go.
I am pretty sure I was told but so much was going on I forgot, overlooked, ignored or whatever. Any excuse will do.

7/29/2003 5:44:37 PM