From

Location

Message

Date Posted

East Sussex, UK

What is the best vine burying technique? I am a second year grower.

Last year the birds scratched off all the piles of dirt I put on each leaf node and I ended up with probably only 30% of my vines buried.

If you bury the entire vine, won't it rot? The Paton pot system takes more resources than I have so I am trying to devise a strategy that will work for me this year.

3/15/2019 5:49:32 AM

Morgantown, WV

All depends on your soil. Lots and lots around here mention drainage issues, so if you have soil that stays moist, I would not trench them to bury, but add soil to the top like the Pattons do. You don't need the pots, I think they're just there to help hold the soil in a mound.

My patch drains freely and does not like to hold water. In this case, it may be ok to trench the whole vine in, but I still tend to just bury the nodes.

I have found that the more diligent you are in covering them as they stretch (and not once every two weeks to catch up) the better they root. It's really just to keep that tip moist until it hits the ground and digs in.

3/15/2019 7:12:34 AM

Springfield, VT

I don't think there is any one good way. The goal is to cover the leaf nodes to encourage rooting from the top. Just putting some dirt to cover the node is enough.

3/15/2019 8:36:56 AM

Pittsburgh, PA

I used to bury the entire vine but with my soil's lack of draining I ran in to vine rot issues. Now I just sprinkle my vine burying mix of goodies at each leaf node and then cover with a shovel full of soil. Gotta keep the soil mounds damp for a couple weeks to encourage good secondary root development.

3/15/2019 9:29:49 AM

Aberdeen

How long in length and width of the plant do you start to bury the vines?

3/15/2019 9:54:21 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

My plants would be ridden with disease if I buried the entire vine, so I bury only the nodes due to my soil and climate. Your nodes should shoot out a tap root on the bottom and one on top that 180's down into the soil. Some growers even remove the dirt from those nodes once both tap roots are anchored down.


I'd focus on keeping the dirt on the nodes until they are anchored. You might be able to bury the entire vine, but I am in no place to say if that's safe for your soil\climate.


Pumpkin#1, I wait till the plant is down and running, and DO NOT bury until the secondaries pop and are growing. If you bury all the secondaries prematurely you will have just one long main.

3/15/2019 11:11:31 AM

East Sussex, UK

Thanks for all the advice.

3/15/2019 11:27:00 AM

Colorado

Two weeks of moist dirt covering the leaf base nodes.Then wash dirt off if youre likely to get vine rot issues . Trench for vines if you have good drainage

3/15/2019 1:59:16 PM

Colorado

Two weeks of moist dirt covering the leaf base nodes.Then wash dirt off if youre likely to get vine rot issues . Trench for vines if you have good drainage

3/15/2019 1:59:16 PM