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junction city ks

I finally have 2 to choose from 1 is 25lbs on main vine the other 13lbs on secondary ,stems look good ,which should I take off? last year grew a 110 and 50 on same vine I need to beat that this year please help!!!!

8/8/2000 10:25:11 PM

South Hadley, MA

I'm not a seasoned veteran, but my $0.02 is that you might want to think about leaving both of them on, at least for awhile, since they are on completely separate vines. If your goal is to beat 110 lbs I'd think there would be a chance of both of these fruits doing it. And if something goes wrong with one and you have already culled the other you are out of luck. Last year I left seven pumpkins on one plant (all separate vines) and the biggest was a 200lber on the main vine. The plant grew a total of 600 lbs of pumpkins though. So I am not convinced that one fruit out on a secondary vine is going to hurt your fruit on the main THAT much.
But if you are set on the all or nothing strategy, which one you cull depends on a few things I'd think.
1) I'd say that any pumpkin on a healthy main vine has a bit of an advantage over a secondary.
2) Which one is growing fastest? Usually better to keep the faster one all other things being equal.
3) Do both have good position relative to the vine?
4) Do they both have a nice shape?

Good luck. May your choice turn out well.

8/8/2000 11:33:20 PM

Roanoke Il

zib I would leave them both on my checkon 815 8 pumpkins on different vines all weighing over 100lb. Depending on what type of pumpkin you are growing. You shouldn't have a problem growing them both over 200 lbs. If your growing atlantic giants 300+ should be reachable. mark

8/9/2000 9:46:18 PM