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Location

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Date Posted

Northeast

One of my main plants has gone flat. Can anyone offer any advice other than retraining a secondary and terminating the flat vine, or trying to wait it out? Perhaps a different pruning stradegy? Thanks Dave

5/21/2004 6:01:41 PM

[email protected]

Most flat vines Dave will not right themselves, the best bet is to take it off, and go with the closest secondary as your new primary. Flat vines stink. Sorry to hear of the flat vine. What plant is it from?

5/21/2004 8:35:45 PM

ontario

David question for you.....was that plant heat stressed at anytime....in the past my flat vine plants all had been subject to a bout of heat stress...????

5/22/2004 9:37:10 AM

Lloydminster/AB

I was at Smoky Lake when Archie Lingl arrived with his 903.5lb
fruit. It had a flat vine the size of a 2x6 still attached. Just a little food for thought.

5/22/2004 11:47:57 AM

Northeast

Wayne no heat stress at all my other plants are fine under the same condions they were vented well, if anything they got a little cold at night. Dave I may consider putting a fruit on the flat vine just rather fix the proble. Thanks everyone so far. Dave

5/22/2004 11:54:11 AM

ontario

ok David guess it was a genetic trait.....hope all goes well........

5/22/2004 12:04:06 PM

Ohio

If you want to try and fix it, best method I have developed is making an incision into the main tip parallel to the vascular tissue rather than a direct perpendicular cut terminating the vine. This parallel incision then can be observed for a few days and the result will be development of a branch in the main vine. From here I select the best looking candidate for further growth and fruit bearing prospectus. I have seen many flat vines over the years and this is my best solution. Yes, you can in some cases set fruit on them. I have seen higher abortion rates for fruit set on flat vines than other plants. Stem stress is also further complicated. Flat vines can be entertaining to grow if you don’t care, as much about the end fruit result, my record is 36” wide vine.

Nic Welty

5/23/2004 8:06:52 AM

ontario

I grew a 801.5 off a flat vine, so they are not a total loss...I believe Pete Glazier grew a 1000 lber off one.....

5/23/2004 8:26:56 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

Nic,
Do you cut at the tip and all the way thru to the end, or just make a cut a certain length, say 2-3" in the main and leave it intact after that?
I would assume you make a cut and keep on cutting all the way to the end of the vine if you want a new branch coming off it.....correct?

5/23/2004 9:19:28 AM

Utah

I tried surgery on my flat vine last year. I similar to what Nic suggested except removed cut material. I cut twice straight into the mass of growth at the tip parrallel to the vine - on at 12 and 6 oclock and one at 3 and 9 oclock. Then I removed 3/4 of the tip. The vine grew normal for a few feet except it grew in a spiral because the of the scarred tissue. BUT then in went flat vine again. I can send or post picture if you are interested.
I'd suggest trying surgery like Nic suggests but expect that it won't work and at the same time prepare to go with a 2ndary.

5/24/2004 11:01:58 AM

Bagh humbug. I have a funky vine too now....Looks like 3 leaves are at one node, but it looks like there's 2 growing points instead of the one. We'll see what goes on in the next few days with it. Either way, it ain't normal!

5/24/2004 11:16:13 AM

Northeast

My main split into two seperate vines, I severed the tip of one and will patch and bury it. Waiting to see what happens.

5/25/2004 7:21:07 AM