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Minnesota([email protected])

I don't know which route I'll go yet, but am leaning toward removing every other secondary vine.
Some seem to think the vines closest to the pumpkin contribute most to the pumpkin growth(just a theory?). I was thinking about a reverse Christmas tree pattern. First secondaries terminated at 6', next at 8', next at 10', next at 12', until you get to the pumpkin. What do you think? I'm also thinking of 8-10' secondaries, and letting the two secondaries right before the pumpkin get to 18 or 20'(or let them grow and not terminate). I think some already do something similar.
I have 4 plants going, and may experiment with vine pattern on one or two.
I'd like to hear any of your unique pruning strategies, even if they are only in your head.

Doug

6/5/2005 9:55:11 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Since I got a late start this year. I'm thinking that to get the main as far out as I can quickly I would terminate the first secondaries early...and push the main hard...A bit risky if you lose the tip of the main but being late I think I can take a few chances...If I go the 130 degree routine They would be shorter anyway since I don't have the room behind the plant. Pruning from there on will be determined by the plant..going for leaf size and maximum air movement to avoid the PM later on.

6/5/2005 10:54:20 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

I think that the "reverse christmas tree" ought to be renamed the "ice cream cone". If it's a new strategy, it should have a new name :-)

6/5/2005 11:28:38 PM

Ohio

Doug,

Im going to try on a few plants to take the first two or three secondaries off the main and run them backwards out past the stump about 10 feet instead. Then run everything eles foward,just seems like I will have more room doing it this way. Scetch it up on paper and you will see what im talking about.It will look like a Jack Larue reverse spider pattern. I was also thinking about trying to run all my secondaries backwards instead of fowards untill i get to setting the fruit then run everything foward from that point. This Pattern would be called the Boz reverse run pattern after myself of course,Ba HAHA

Brooks

Brooks

6/6/2005 5:12:39 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

I'm lettin' it all grow except tertiaries, no "every other secondary" pruning here. Things are off to a later start and the fruits gonna need the extra energy production to make up the lost time...

6/6/2005 2:52:48 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

crammed,
"Ice Cream Cone" sounds brilliant! It would look like one.
Hopefully the scoop of ice cream would be 1500 lbs. worth.
I'll take orange sherbet!

Kyle,
I was just thinking, that maybe by pruning off every other secondary, it would result in faster mainvine growth. Also terminating the early secondaries when they are shorter, would do the same(maybe?). Can anybody support this hypothesis?

6/6/2005 7:01:20 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I never noticed any faster main vine growth, but then again...each plant is different, there is no standard, and how would you know if it wasn't growing the speed it was going to anyway?

6/6/2005 9:01:44 PM

Ohio

I never thought of it that way Doug,it prolly would give you better main vine growth(just a guess) but on the other hand you might be losing on energy because there isnt enough leaves. I think that would be a hard question for the pros to even answer,Id like to know though.

6/7/2005 12:18:22 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

Ahhh, but how do you NOT know that cutting every other secondary doesn't "shock" the plant somewhat and throw it into some type of defensive/protective mode which may actually inhibit growth of the main to a degree, huh?
(playing devils advocate here for the sake of discussion)

6/7/2005 6:29:03 AM

Montoursville, PA

Any time a plant is injured it attempts to reproduce or move into the direction of reproduction.

Each time a secondary is terminated the plant reacts with the production of more FM's or later more energy to the pumpkin producing the seeds.

That is most likely why many plants have flowers, on/or near the stump, this year. The plants were stressed in wet cold weather. "Looks like I'm going to die....reproduce"!

This is precisely how to beat your neighbor at the white to red tomatoe game. Shove a shovel down one side of the plant and injure a bunch, of roots. "My gorsh! Injured reproduce?. Otherwise if you manage like a pumpkin you will grow larger fruit too.

6/7/2005 12:33:22 PM

Nikiski Alaska

i have found that no prune the temp is ware it is if i keep it from 70 to 95 day and night i can get from 8in to 14in a day and i must feed it lots and lots of get big food

6/7/2005 3:39:43 PM

Hayes, Virginia

when the weather broke here (just a couple days ago).
my main started growing about 10-14 inches a day.
Like Kyle said with the late start, not pruning
a thing need all the leafs i can grow.
Happy Growing everyone have FUN!!



Ed

6/7/2005 3:48:44 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Great points made by all!
I guess we haven't figured out anything for sure. It's nice getting different veiwpoints though. Any other thoughts/experiences would be appreciated.

6/7/2005 5:24:01 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Oh yeah!! I got this new one called...burn the hell outta all them leaves pruning....Thank you cold may for that jump to the nineties!...Yikes ! Can't catcha break.

6/7/2005 8:02:51 PM