From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Western PA

Good day to all of you! I have foumd the third female on the main today! It is all very exciting! The main measured 8'6" this morning. I have cut off more than 5 females from the secondaries thus far. I have read to pollinate no less that 10 to 12 feet out. I don't feel right about cutting females from the main. I feel fortunate to have 3 thus far.
I feel to let nature take its coarse and let the main's females alone. Any help here?????? What would it hurt to pollinate at this distance?????

6/25/2005 3:32:06 PM

Mocksville, NC

If you have the time pollinate them all, and cull later, Try and end up with the one or two that have good vine position shape, size color, And fastest growing. It will give you a better odds you will end the season with a good one. Rog.

6/25/2005 5:00:26 PM

Oz

3 plants will divide(sorta) the nutrients available by 3.

6/26/2005 10:22:22 AM

Long Island,New York

Ah, there's the problem. Let nature take its course.....that means 150lb pumpkins with no stems cause they all tore off the vine....if the bugs and critteres didnt eat them. There's nothing normal to getting a big AG. Cull the females that are too close to the stump and grow a big one.

6/26/2005 3:29:48 PM

C N Y

i have had as many as 5 pumpkins on one plant at the "end" of the season, from 191 pounds est. up to 508 official.
i can guarantee that i must have had a lot more than that
before i started culling them once a few of them set!
it is not a crime to pollinate anything and everything, but you must have the willpower to cull them if there are others or another that is doing better by far.

if you need practice pollinating, now's your chance.
you can cull them off at a later date. judging by the date
that the first one was pollinated, compared to the
rate of the second and the third, etc., and their position in relation to the vine (90 degrees is best), yes, you can again be the judge of which one is going to be "it".
it is a good idea to have a "shock-absorber" fruit
on one of the secondary vines, to help minimize any spikes in growth of the plant and fruit that could cause splitting of your otherwise ONE fruit.
i usually have that one on an older secondary, like the first one that is left on one side of the plant after the chosen secondaries are removed
in the pruning process. almost sounds like i know what i am doing, lol! we'll see, this year......lol....eric
please apply all of these ^^^^^^replies ^^^^^to your decisions--
they are all good! eric

6/27/2005 7:14:30 PM