From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Indiana

I have a area that is 40 foot by 10 foot to grow another pumpkin in. Would it be better to grow a 40 ft main with 9 foot secondaries on one side? or would it be better to grow three or four secondaries and train them to go lengthwise parallel to the main so they could be 40 ft also ?? hope this makes sense. Or is there another way?
Steve

3/24/2004 10:00:44 AM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

I would flag it with 9' secondaries.

3/24/2004 10:36:43 AM

Nova Scotia

personally i would grow it down the middle with 5' secondaries. i feel the better balance your plant has the better the whole plant will grow. as well i'd set the pumpkin at the end of the main vine and prune the main off after it at 40'. i know most would disagree but thats what i would do with such an area.

3/24/2004 12:15:28 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

I'd grow two plants. One at each end.

This would also provide you a good opportunity to try/test different pruning methods.

choose 2 options:
Flag with 9' secondaries
Modified with 7' secondaries on one side and 2' on the other (al la Quinn)
X mas tree with 5'and 4' secondaries

3/24/2004 12:16:36 PM

Utah

There are many different possiblities. A flag would work good. But if you wanted secondaries out each side then you could plant 10 ft from one end in the middle and grow straight down the middle. Then train the secondaries back at about a 30° to 45° angle to the main. This way you could still have good secondary length, about 8 to 10 ft., and still have a 30 ft main. Also your stump would be in a good location in the middle of the patch.
I'll send you a sketch if your interested.

3/24/2004 12:25:52 PM

Utah

here is a sketch i drew up...
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/displayphoto.asp?pid=2851&gid=1

3/24/2004 2:17:32 PM

Indiana

Hmmm I like g1t's idea it seems to give the most vegetation for the space. I never thought about "balance" for the plants but it kind of makes sense. That may be why the xmas tree pattern works so well. Does the vascular system of the vine have sides like a right or left where the secondaries on one side would feed into that side of the vine or do they mix into both sides of the vine at the axis of the secondary????
Also if this is true, growing four plants in a large square it might be better to go with the angled secondaries instead of a flag pattern. This makes alot more to think about. hmmmmmm
Steve

3/24/2004 3:25:18 PM

Wisconsin

You are thinking about this in terms of where the green part of the plant will be above the ground. I would instead think about it in terms of where the root system will be. The primary root system will start out with a main tap root below the seed and go 3-4 feet straight down. The secondary and tertiary roots will then extend out from the tap root in a circle with eventually a radius of 15-20 ft or more from the planting area.

Planting at one end of the garden will only keep half the roots in your soil zone (a 180 degree arc). Planting at a corner will only allow 1/4th of the roots to stay in your main soil zone (a 90 degree arc).

I would plant it 15 ft from end right in the middle (something like G1t suggested) for this reason.

3/24/2004 3:57:25 PM

Spokane, WA

I agree. The placement of the plant would be very helpfull if the roots had lots of space. However, I thought pumpkin roots only go about 12" deep at the max and don't produce a tap root?!? At leat my plants didn't.

3/24/2004 10:15:33 PM