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South Dakota

My second year attempt coming up if spring ever gets here. Last year I let my main grow abount another 10 foot beyond my pumpkin. I see in alot of journals, that some cut the main right after the pumpkin, and some let it grow. Why the difference and what is the advantages/disadvantages of each? I only have about 500 sq ft and really do not have alot of room to let the main grow out like last year. What is the views on this, thanks.

3/8/2019 7:15:53 AM

Hadley Ny

You will probably get many different answers and whos is right???..Popular opinion is to let the main keep growing to keep it alive and to support growth as long as you still have the tip..others cut it ..others cut 5-10 ft past...you can alwys leave the main and trim leaves further out and just curl the main were ever you want it to go. If you cut your main and your kin aborts your screwed for another kin on the main..set a secondary and dont cut the tip if it's your new main..like I said subjects been brought up before and some of the best growers all have good ideas..good luck

3/8/2019 12:24:09 PM

Grittyville, WA

It can probably act to make a small pumokin bigger or a big pumpkin smaller. I know that sounds confusing but I think I've seen a boost in energy going into the pumpkin when dead ended near the pumpkin, but is it possible to hit 40-50 lb / day

3/8/2019 3:54:33 PM

Grittyville, WA

on a dead-ended vine? Im not sure the sugar production would be sufficient.

3/8/2019 3:55:28 PM

Grittyville, WA

I think It would be a good strategy to consider for winning the 150 sq ft competition. For 500 ft its a coin toss. For bigger areas... For a world record... I think those pumpkins pull from the vine beyond the pumpkin.

3/8/2019 4:03:37 PM

Grittyville, WA

I think ideally what you want is to reduce apical dominance. I think thats why dead ending helps. I dont think reducing the plant size is what helps though. Different plants may naturally have different amounts of apical dominance.

3/8/2019 4:10:16 PM

Grittyville, WA

Ethylene was used by Steve G. Theoretically, this has the affect of fooling the plant into thinking the pumpkin is more dominant, the same as dead ending, but without actually hacking half the plant away. ...Or was it genetics/luck?

3/8/2019 4:18:37 PM

Hadley Ny

glenoma..second year grower give him a break..way too much overload

3/8/2019 4:48:38 PM

Thomas wv

Last year a ground hog ate my main right after kin kin was small size of grape at. This time so I decided to set that kin grew 1095 off of it I was a second year grower so if you do cut you have to hope kin don't abort at day 20. Far as space you can leave main on cut the secondaries off and let main grow around your plant on the perimeter. I'm still fairly new don't want to give you bad advice but think you should be fine

3/8/2019 9:08:06 PM

Bottom of ohio

LJ let the main grow until you have no more room for it to grow then cut the tip only

3/8/2019 9:19:59 PM

Colorado

Plant to let it grow.Youye gonna get more weight if you don't cut the main IMHO. However you have to do a big turn in the main to avoid stem/vine stress.

3/9/2019 12:08:09 AM

Grittyville, WA

Well I wont be using ethylene and I'm not recommending it. Just explaining it. I had this same question and have searched high and low for answers that made sense. Thats the answer I came up with because no one else really had an explanation...

3/9/2019 12:59:33 AM

Grittyville, WA

Its a good question that deserves good answers ... didnt mean to drop an encylopedia on your head :)

3/9/2019 1:03:44 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

LJ, depends on how far out you start your pumpkin. If you start the pumpkin at 12-15 feet out and have 8-9 healthy side vines on each side then cutting the main once the pumpkin is 15-20 days old should not hurt. You may end up with a slightly smaller pumpkin. But less stem stress.

3/9/2019 9:09:26 AM