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Some interesting info that has showed up in the last few days.
all my pumpkins with a soil temp of 76 degrees plus or minus 1 are throwing females at every node. 5 plants now.
I have 4 plants at 72 degrees plus or minus, and there are only males at every node, Now the interesting 2, I have a plant with no heating cables, ground temp of 62 and there is nothing at the nodes, and I have 2 plants in the same green house on the thermostat, with the ground temp of 79 degrees and they are both double vining on me, One is an 869.5 Calai and the other is an 810 Dill.
So do we cause double vines and flat vines by temp of soil, and more importantly, can we manipulate the reproduction by raising or lowering the temp of the soil.
If a grower wasn't using heating cables and getting no females, could it be as simple as watering with warmer than average water, to bring the ground temp up, so it will produce females.
Now this is all very informal, but sure is making a guy think.
I'll keep an eye on the plants and keep moitoring them,
I turned down the temp of the 2 double viners to 72 degrees, and will see what happens

Eddy

6/3/2007 4:33:19 PM

sevierville, Tn

that really interesting. I had 2 plants that looked to double vine. we got a cold spell with several nights in the upper 30, day time in the low 60's. Next thing i know, the plants are growing normal. thanks for the info.

6/3/2007 7:36:26 PM

Minnesota

Eddy that is very interesting - Last year i had 10 plants in a row and all had the exact same soil since the beds are on a peat bog. My soil is normally colder than most in the spring and this is what i had last year.
1446eaton -- double vine
1446eaton -- ribbon vine
1008.4 reiss - double vine
5 - 1110kline (842eaton X self) 4 normal and 1 double vine

none of these plants had any fertilizer for most of the whole year. I do think if soil temp is warmer it can influence the double and ribbons to show their deformities earlier. I personally dont think it can cause them since the characteristics of the plant have been layed out when the embryo was forming just shortly after pollination the previous year when the seed was being made. Just my thoughts. I would like to hear more on this. Great thread.

6/3/2007 11:41:29 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

This will be interesting to monitor!

6/4/2007 8:36:58 AM

Puyallup, WA

I think that Eddy is on to something. It has been my observation that flat vines are "accentuated" in warmer weather.....on certain plants. I believe that the warmer soil and air temps trigger "muntant genetics" in these plants.

6/4/2007 1:43:53 PM

Ohio

I wonder what state, or even country seems to produce more double mains then others?(Because of climate). If there is really any way to monitor that by searching this site for double mains and where they was grown maybe? It would still be hard to track even to get a guesstimation, huh? Or maybe start a new thread on who all has grown a double main and see what kind of climate they are growing in. It sure is a interesting topic you have here Eddy.

Brooks

6/4/2007 8:18:52 PM