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Palo Alto, CA

I am in the San Francisco Bay area and I started my pumpkin directly in the yard way back in March. I'm not looking to enter a contest, but I'd like to grow as big a pumpkin as I can because, well, it's just a lot of fun. In May I started the S curve in the main at about 15'...and it bent and stopped growing. So I pollinated a flower two leaf nodes up from the bend. The pumpkin is now (June 6) 43" in circumference. I'd like to trim the damaged end of the main back as close as I can to the pumpkin because it is getting in the way of the pumpkin's growth and I don't want to try moving the pumpkin away from it - currently I have a foam block between the vine and the pumpkin. My question is: how close can I cut the vine without compromising the pumpkin?

6/7/2017 2:46:32 AM

Central NY

You'd be safe at 2"...good luck

6/7/2017 8:20:52 AM

New Berlin, PA

My first year I didn't train the vine correctly and had an issue with clearance. I cut the main past the pumpkin maybe an inch or two from the stem and it seemed to be fine. I would try to keep the cut part dry.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=248709

6/7/2017 8:58:53 AM

Palo Alto, CA

Thanks for the help. The deed is done.

6/7/2017 10:04:15 PM