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CT

I have three fruit on my 684 Armstrong 1) number1 is 108 cir
2) is Holmes growing slowly 78cir and 3)Is a volunteer just discovered a few days ago about Basketball size. I still have not terminated the main and it is about 40 feet long (17 feet past fruit)and growing 6 inches a day. All secondaries have been terminated and tertiaries are all being cut as they appear.
My question is do I terminate the main or cull the volunteer next ?
I like lots of opinions.

Thanks

8/15/2001 8:50:50 PM

Western Pa.

When I started, I was told to terminate the main vine after it was 30' long. Later on , I was told that some of the "heavy hitters" were letting their main continue to grow. Reason being, terminating it would promote extra growth of the tertiaries.(pruning promotes growth!) I have overpruned and I have underpruned. Last year a top grower told me to terminate and bury ALL vines by the end of July. I am trying that this year, and so far(knock on wood!) have had the best results. If you want to take a chance at one big pumpkin, cull the others, if you want an "insurance policy" leave another fruit or two on the vine! It's all a big "crap shoot". You must decide for yourself!

kilr

8/15/2001 9:41:24 PM

Leicester, NY

I think I would terminate the main and let the plant hopefully throw some of it's energy now into the fruit. The volunteer, being basketball size here in the middle of August, sounds like cull material to me.... Joe P.

8/15/2001 10:06:09 PM

Rexburg, Idaho

If you're going for size terminate the vine and cull both of the smaller pumpkins. The longer you wait the harder (emotionally) it is cull the things.

8/16/2001 12:24:21 AM

CT

This morning I terminated the main and tomorrow I will cull the volunteer. This should spread out the energy to the fruit enough to avoid cracks. The big one (#1) only gained 6 pounds last night the smallest gain in a long time.OTT=236

8/16/2001 8:01:18 AM

Ga.

Does the main vine if terminated past a set fruit affect the fruit?What I'm asking is,,I have a nice pumpkin set and going,,,the vine is approx 15 ft. beyond the pumpkin,,if I bury the vine at tip,,will this help the only fruit behind this ???

8/16/2001 9:35:21 AM

CT

It should help any fruit on the plant. The main vine tip is a area of growth and the plant should put theat energy intom the pumpkins. Read Kilr's post above I think it sums it up.

8/16/2001 10:48:23 PM