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Australia

Hi all, this is my first year growing LG's and have planted two 121.75 Butler/Johnston 08 plants side by side.
Strangly one plant has grown thick club like fruit, while the other is long and skinny. Both plants share the same soil/trellis and are treated equally. I have been taking daily measurments and at day 21 the best thin one is 75inch, best thick one 66inch. Would love to hear of peoples experience and opinions.
Thanks
Ben

11/28/2010 5:06:15 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

Don't have any answers here Ben, sorry. Planted the 123 Michaud seed last season and got straight thin gords, just like the momma. Planted it again this season, in pretty much the same spot, and got all clubs? Hopefull someone can enlighten us?
Duff

11/28/2010 5:45:48 PM

Australia

Duff, I read one of your earlier posts about tying a window weight to help slow growth, sounded crazy so I just had to experiment. I had pollinated a heap of gourds early on and had a curly one growing somewhat slower than the others. It was going to be culled anyway, so at day 11 I hung 1/4 of a brick to the base. Day 15 I increased it to a full brick. Each day I recorded the growth as I do for all the gourds and found no significant increase in length, but it did straighten out. day 18 it was cut to help the others continue growing.

11/28/2010 7:42:43 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Bluebanjo, forget about the weights. LG's don't adhere to the same rules and AG's. Going with genetics is your best bet but there are no gaurantees. I planted three 88.5 Eaton decendants and two conformed and the third produced club after club. Search the family tree of the present WR and you will quickly find a pattern. Careful selection will eventually weed out the undesireable traits. ( Shameless plug ) my 76 and reverse 78 will hopefully do just that- 122 Eaton x 95 Seca and reverse. Both Quasi 109 Eaton crosses. Long and lean, lol.

11/28/2010 9:22:00 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

Ben, my window weight post was a tongue-in-cheek answer to gaining some late season length, but thnaks for doing the "research" on it! LOL! At least it got that curly one cured...:-)

11/29/2010 7:29:02 PM

Australia

Duff, I realised that your post was tongue-in-cheek but someone had to do the "research" lol.I couldnt resist, just had to try it! I love experimenting with crazy ideas and thought, why not. That fruit was going to be culled anyway so I had nothing to lose.

11/29/2010 7:57:52 PM

Hamburg, NY

Ben,

Here is the reason: When I developed the "Collins" Long GOURD, I used crosses from 3 varieties and 5 selections over 6 years (to reach the then world record of 99 inches). The varieties I used included dipper, club or baseball and the Italian Edible. The thicker fruit you experienced resulted from the baseball gourd in the line. I always selected for the long thin characteristic in a fast growing specimen. Just like Atlantic Giants variations exists. Keep selecting for the thin fruit and length. All the best growing /Ray Waterman

12/2/2010 12:49:20 PM

Australia

Thank you all for your responses, I now feel I have a better understanding of this plant. When I pollinated I made sib and self crosses, now I know which ones to keep.
Thanks all,
Ben

12/2/2010 5:25:34 PM

Las Cruces NM

Great post and explains a few things ... thanks for the insight Ray!

12/12/2010 11:19:59 AM