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British Columbia, Canada

If I grow the whole main vine in this kind of shape ----> ( , would that reduce the need for an individual s-curve? Like would 12 feet of slightly curved vine be enough to relieve the stress when the fruit lifts it? Or would the root nodes on the vine prevent that from working?

7/12/2019 12:43:53 AM

Central Illinois

your secondaries are going to be growing towards each other, and I think the pumpkin will pull both sides of the > tight unless you move the pumpkin

7/12/2019 8:08:42 AM

Germany

The wider the curve, the longer is the final arch which will be lifted up and pushed back by the growing fruit (its stem), and therefore the higher will be the number of main vine nodes which cannot retain a tap root. With a sharp S-curve about five nodes (the one at the fruit and two adjacent nodes each on side) will be lifted up.

Make an experiment: Take a piece of string, form an S-curve of maybe 1.5 inches length, take a pair of tweezers and lift the arch and move it backwards...if that works, then use the same piece of string, arrange it in a wider bow, take a pair of tweezers and lift this bow to the same height and push it back by the same distance, and you will see that much more length of the string will be lifted up from the ground.

7/12/2019 9:06:41 AM

Germany

...typo..."on each side"

7/12/2019 9:07:19 AM

Colorado

A big gradual curve isnt much different than no curve at all. A hair pin curve is the way to go.

7/12/2019 12:12:02 PM

Germany

An hour ago I have created such a string model of three different vine layouts, I have taken pics of what the fruit will be doing to the vine, stay tuned, the pics shall appear in my diary soon.

7/12/2019 12:51:53 PM

Germany

Here it is, this diary entry and the other four entries past that one: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=305653

7/12/2019 3:35:38 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

What if the pumpkin fell on the inside of your gradual curve? I think S curves are used so you can make the curve once you see which way the pkn will fall.

7/12/2019 3:45:16 PM

Germany

Agree, the wide curve always bears the risk that the fruit will be on the wrong side of the vine, whereas in case of the S-curve the vine will be bent at a later stage when you know where the fruit will be sitting. Another advantage of the S-curve, of course.

7/13/2019 8:12:02 AM

British Columbia, Canada

Wait the vine is supposed to be bent depending on which side the fruit is in?

7/13/2019 12:37:08 PM

Germany

Yes, of course. The pumpkin needs to rest on the outer side of the curve, because it will push the vine backwards with its stem. A pumpkin sitting inside the curve cannot push the vine further out.

7/13/2019 12:40:01 PM

British Columbia, Canada

Ah I see. Thanks

7/13/2019 2:53:50 PM

Syracuse, NY

i have never ventured to make curves beforehand, never a pumpkin big enough, i guess, lol, so, once a fruit is on the ground for me, every time i move it to align it better, i also see about pulling it back away from the vine an inch or so, relying on the stretch available in the vine and i also have been known to put a solid stake in the ground for the vine on the risky side of the stem for it to rest up against (keep/pull the vine away) from either side that is touching a part of the fruit...i always evaluate the stress on the stem and vines, of course, and some form of padding is used at the points where the vine(s) go around the stakes - it is a play-it-by-ear sorta thing - eg

7/14/2019 11:10:19 PM