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Minnesota([email protected])

My 4 A.G. plants are growing slowly. I have them under unheated hoop houses.
I'm wondering if there is a pruning method that will result in faster vine growth once the plants finally start "running". Would pruning every other secondary do the trick? If so, when should the the secondaries be removed?
Last year my sole A.G. had a mainvine length of 3'9" on July 1. I ended up getting my pumpkin pollinated on July 20 at 11' out on the main. I ended up with a 615 lber.
I'm hoping for a longer mainvine by July 1, and an earlier pumpkin set this year. Any advice would be appreciated.

Doug

6/1/2005 10:40:58 PM

Montoursville, PA

Many are pruning every other secondary. It opens the distance between vines and enables better access for anything you wish to do.

Some are removing the first two secondarys or first set of secondaries. If that were my plan I would let the first two sets on and remove the third set as my first effort to remove every other one. In this case the second set to show would be your first set to grow for the whole season.

The reasons for doing this are a varied as there are people willing to suggest a theory. At the worst removing every other one will give remaining leaves a chance to grow larger. Mulching or any other service needed will be easier.
My experience to date indicates that the size of the canopy is not changed one bit by this management.

I do believe that the plant responds with an effort to reproduce each time it is aware, of a part removed or terminated. If there is only one unit, of reproduction,on the whole vine guess where all the energy goes?

6/2/2005 11:54:10 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks doc. Your last paragraph was something I never considered.

6/2/2005 10:53:04 PM