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Belgium Europe

4 of my 7 plants have the main vine tip broken off under it's own weight or snapped off by tendrils.Tips are growing straight into the air, probably due to the chicken manure i added last spring,and a shot of 20-20-20 solution last week. Friday i pruned some tertiairies and after the explosion of growth,i found 3 broken tips sunday morning.How do i prevent the remaining ones from breaking? See my diary entries 97 to 100.(http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=37054).thanks
Jos

7/3/2005 4:25:31 PM

Dillsburg, PA

I seem to have that same problem but haven't had any break at this point. Vine is really straight up. I have been putting dirt under it for support but it is about 20 inches off the ground. I am sorry you lost so many main vines-that sucks.

7/3/2005 4:38:15 PM

Dillsburg, PA

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=37009

7/3/2005 4:40:55 PM

Ohio

Sometimes if you go back on the main vine a foot or two you will see where a leaf is growing under the main which props the main to grow skyward,I dig a little hole right under where the leaf is holding the vine up and lays down nice. You would be surprised by just going back two feet or so how this would help lay your main down better.

7/3/2005 5:43:52 PM

Ohio

By the looks of your pics Jos you dont have that problem.But even the littlest hump of dirt or even a rock under your main can make a big diffrence on getting it to lay down better.

7/3/2005 5:47:51 PM

Long Island,New York

Perhaps if you cut back on the water it may become a bit more flexible and lay down better.

7/3/2005 9:22:01 PM

Litchfield N. H. 03052

Put a stake on each side of the vine, lace a soft material[ panty hose ] between the stakes. It will catch the vine as it falls, and when removed ,slowly lower the vine to the ground.

7/3/2005 10:00:21 PM

Oz

If it wont come down,,raise the soil up.

7/3/2005 11:21:38 PM

Indiana

^5 MCPUMPKIN i had to do that very thing a couple diff places this year & may run the whole main on a small mountain range next year its nice to bury the vine while still keep it elevated so it dont get soggy

7/3/2005 11:48:57 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

My 869.5 Calai is planted on a mound and has to grow downhill so the problem is even worse than normal...It kinked a bit twice and the pumpkin that might set tomorrow might grow on half a main stem but I've grown about 500 lbs on a 713 Kurkowski before on about 10 percent of a stem so I'm not too worried. Good luck to you all!
Michel

7/4/2005 2:36:09 AM