From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Commack, NY

okay here's the deal, i'm looking for some opinions. got two plants in one hill, and one has got to go. i've got a little time before i have to make the cut, but not a whole heck of a lot, a week tops. one plant is from a proven seed, and has grown some real nice sized pumpkins, the other is an uproven seed, with really good genetics. now, they are both at identical stages of growth, leaf for leaf pretty much, with the unproven seed ever so slightly ahead. now normally this is a no brainer, pick the proven one right? well, not so fast.........the proven one, although growing vigorously looks like a pile of .....well, you know.....the leaves are all deformed: ripped, shriveled on the ends, missing sections, deformed. all of the first 3 true leaves look like this. the 4th looks to be somewhat normal, although i see signs of the shriveling in that leaf as well. the leaves on the unproven seed are top notch, big, green, real healthy looking. i have about a week, maybe less to make a decision, just looking for some feedback. i'm torn only because the proven plant looks like crap more or less,but the good looking plant is unproven.

scott

5/31/2001 6:56:12 PM

canal winchester ohio

I would go with the healthy plant. At one time or another they were all unproven , somebody has to prove it.............Paul

5/31/2001 7:07:57 PM

Western Pa.

Hey Scott!


How are you doing? I've got a curled , stunted Mombert this year and had one just like it last year on a LaRue. It grew extremely slowly, and didn't set it's first female till July 20. Ended up producing a couple 200#ers. Don't know if this is a genetics thing or what, other plants under same conditions were O.K. I'd take the healthier one, but you'll never know how that proven could have done! Good luck!

kilr

5/31/2001 7:45:25 PM

Herndon, VA

I would take the unproven (healthier) plant as well. Just because a particular seed stock is "proven" does not guarantee there won't be a few duds in the bunch.

5/31/2001 7:45:51 PM

Long Island,New York

Hmmm....I don't know how to answer this question ;)
If its your only plant I'd tend to go with the healthier one without a history.Behind every proven great seed is a string of bums that didn't make it to weighoff or low weight pumpkins. If I had another plant in another hill somewhere which was proven and looking good then i might take the chance the mutant proven was just getting over a rough winter and stick with it. Im sure your unproven genetics are the best around and you wouldn't have planted it if it wasn't good enough. see if it straightens out this week---then roll the dice.......G

5/31/2001 8:07:23 PM

Liverpool , England

Yo Scott,
I would cull the deformed one...best to keep the healthier looking plant if the genetics are good.

ALUN

5/31/2001 8:20:50 PM

Greencastle, PA

what are the genetics of the plants?

6/2/2001 8:51:03 PM

Commack, NY

i want to thank everyone for there input......upon closer inspection of my plants, i chose to go with the unproven seed. the proven one looked like total garbage, and the unproven one started to take off and leave it in the dust. oh well, i guess every proven seed started out as an unproven one at one point or another.

scott

6/4/2001 7:15:25 PM