From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Kansas City, MO

I'm confused, does everyone recommend letting the main go skyward and then support it coming down or use the bamboo stakes to bend it down in the first place, that's what I'm doing.
Thx.

5/30/2005 8:12:31 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Both..one X under for support one X over to start the training.

5/30/2005 8:29:49 PM

Commack, NY

exactly what Chuck said, but id like to add one point, DO NOT FORCE IT DOWN!!! I want to see your next post as "hey guys, thanks for the advice, vine is down and running" and not "oh crap, now what do i do? i broke my main vine!"

5/30/2005 9:02:16 PM

Canada

Last Year I just Bent with sticks till it landed. This year I used the over and under x pattern which is working good.

Dave

5/30/2005 9:39:36 PM

[email protected]

Certain genetics are easier to get down than others.

5/30/2005 9:58:13 PM

Rhode Island

yes we to support over and under when the main starts to develope for two reasons - support and direction

most of the time if you wait until the main is a ft or so long you can either cut one or two leaf stems that are helping to hold up the main or you can dig out under these leaf stems and the main can be eased to the ground and then restaked

all this off course once the plant has a chance to warm itself up---never prune or vine move early in the a.m.

while on the subject i gotta throw this in
the worse thing we have found regarding the use of water soluable chemical fertilizers is that the mains and sides become very stiff and are very likely to snap if the least amt of excess stress is used

im glad we use chemical fertalizers just as a added finisher late in the season and go organic and soil soup treatments during all of the season

5/30/2005 11:51:42 PM

Kansas City, MO

Thanks guys, I'm adding bottom support as well. I do have what pap suggested, a couple of big leaves sort of forcing it up.

My only choices are to work on the plants early a.m. or early evening. I assume this work should be done early evening. Damn employment gets in the way again.

I did make the mistake of going with some 20/20/20 but will stop for now.

5/31/2005 11:04:05 AM

Oz

Let it fly!
Add poles for it to grab on to.x pattern,etc,,
You can push the poles in to lower your flyingpumpkin.

Try 1/4,1/2 dripp hose/s as string lead/s.
Think "rope bridge"

Add clean soil at the root base,
in a wide at the bottom,narrow at the top shape.


Have a pile of nice rich soil waiting where it lands.
Fill in the gap between the hills,,,or dont:).

5/31/2005 1:15:07 PM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

anybody have a nice photo of how to do this?

5/31/2005 6:18:40 PM

[email protected]

Matt Mongeon developed a very nice "sling" affair for keep the vine from coming down too fast. He posted pictures last summer. Diary or Gallery...not sure. But it is sweet.

5/31/2005 10:44:25 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

I put some things such as styrofoam pieces in front of the plant where it might fall so that if it falls it won't completely kink. After the plant leans forward enough to touch the styrofoam I take out one layer of styrofoam every day until it eventually is on the ground. Many good ideas from all of you in this post.

6/3/2005 1:39:46 AM