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comstock Park Mi

I would like your opinion on whether you think most of the pumpkin’s mass comes from the plant behind the pumpkin or from the plant ahead of the pumpkin? This season I grow 4 plants, breaking the main vine off of 2 of them. On my 856 the main vine broke about 2 feet ahead of the pumpkin & I still got plenty of size. On my 940 the main vine was 40’, but most of the plant was behind the pumpkin (about 80%). On my 600+ouw (split) the main vine broke at 13’, about 2’ after the pumpkin. 15 days later it was growing 25-40# a day with not many leaves after the pumpkin. My 4th plant did nothing special. I got 3-400+ pound pumpkins off of it.

Joe
2nd year grower

12/20/2001 4:22:16 PM

Ga.

LOL Joe,,,last plant 3 - 400lb ag's on 1 vine dont sound like nothing special too me,,sounds awfully good to me considering I only got a 143 and it was only pkin on vine....Way to go!!!

12/20/2001 5:59:15 PM

Utah

Joe-

I know a couple of heavy hitters who believe that most of
the fruit growth comes from the plant before the pumpkin,
and prune their plants accordingly. This is realatively
new thinking. the idea is to get you plant to the size you
want then set you pumpkin then cut terminate all the vines.
then all the energy goes into the fruit. of course the
main problem is that may to put to much energy into the fruit and split it. plus you have to wait till your plant
gets so big before you set. which might later in the year
than you want. and you might only set a few pumpkins.

past thinking- and your 940 shows it- has been to set fairly
early and often. let the pumpkins and the plant grow- see which pumpkins look good and cull the rest -go from there.
terminate the 2ndaries - maybe the main... maybe not.

so to answer your question- I think both ways work well- that big fruit can be grown either way- as has been shown by what has been grown in the past. it's hard to argue one way or the other only when VERY big pumpkins have been grown both ways.

just my 2 cents on the subject. if you've grown a 940- then
maybe you should be telling us what to do ! :)
good luck !
gordon

12/21/2001 10:14:38 AM

Farmington, Utah

Looking on AGGC site of the 2001 1000+ pumpkins and included Peter Carter's 995.8 that listed stats on distance from stump. There were 19 including Carters.
Total ave. 12 feet
top 10 ave. 12.5 feet
top 6 ave. 10.5 feet
Shortest Eaton 1153 at 8 feet.
Farthest out Papez 1058 at 17 feet.

Just a little info.

12/21/2001 7:06:27 PM