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Mastic Beach, New York

how many of you have been cutting every other secondary? I been doing it, but have this huge fear of not haveing a male ready , because i'am cutting my chances down by going with the every other secondary or does the plant know this and produces more males?

billy

6/21/2004 6:16:38 PM

Hudsonville, Michigan ([email protected])

Billy:
I am trimming every other secondary for the first time this year - so far so good. I figure it can only help air circulation and improve my chances against powdery mildew in August. Time will tell, I guess. Regarding male flower selection, I generally try to choose males from the main anyway, so I don't foresee the "every other" pruning technique as a problem. I don't know if there are any proven theories on where on the plant is best for pollen, but I choose large symmetrical-looking flowers from the main as first option.
Frank

6/21/2004 6:42:58 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I'm going every 3rd or 4th for the first 20-30 feet, depending on the individual plant and how it's looking. I *may* go every other after that.

6/21/2004 10:58:30 PM

San Diego

I'm trying every other vine for the first time this year myself. I'm behind and just starting to vine, we'll see how it goes. Jimmy

6/22/2004 12:59:28 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Matt's Diary has some good pics of every-other-secondary pruned plants.

So far so good Matt keep up the good work!


Billy - I think the plant can sense when it has loses a vine. How? by growing the leaves on the remaining secondaries bigger - similar to the ones on the main. Unfortunately I don't think the plant does anything to produce additional male flowers.
Remember it's survival of the fittest in nature and there is not much the plant can do when we intentionally 'harm' the plant by pruning it in a desired manor.

Grow 'em BIG!

6/22/2004 1:47:06 AM

Rhode Island

billy
we are pruning everyother secondary and have had quite a few male flowers that have been opening for a week and a half now
if you get a few less males just use pollen from one or two on your pollinations rather than three or four

6/22/2004 6:46:16 AM

Wisconsin

It doesn't make much sense to me to cut off half the secondaries. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that this would be somewhat stressful to the plant. Also, there has been much speculation that the primary "food" source of the pumpkin is on the part of the vine proximal to the fruit. If you set a fruit at 15 ft or so and cut half the secondaries, you have a quite limited number of secondaries in the first 15 ft of the main vine.

I understand that people are trying to achieve better ventilation (this is good) and the remaining leaves may grow bigger without less crowding but I am not sure that cutting every other secondary is the best way to achieve this goal.

What I have been doing recently is training all the initial secondaries back towards the stump end of the plant. For lack of a better description, the plant ends up looking like a Christmas tree with very droopy stems. It is not until about 15 ft out or so that the secondaries actually are allowed to grow straight perpendicular to the main vine. This takes advantage of the soil zones behind the plant and opens up considerable space between all the initial secondaries. This seems more logical that cutting off half the plant.

6/22/2004 11:35:42 AM

ipswich, ma usa

This may be true, just don't tell the NH folks this. They cut off every other secondary and I think their record speaks for themselves.

John (5150)

6/22/2004 1:17:20 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Is this not very much the same as a flag pattern? You really end up with the same amount of vines. They are just on both sides of the plant. I am going to try reducing the amount of leaves on one of my x-trees and let the vine stay to help feed the plant. Trimming out every other leaf and leaving the vine and roots makes much more sense to me.

6/23/2004 12:18:19 PM

No Place Special

Wish we could hear from a couple big dogs on this one. Anyone know what Rose did last yr?

6/23/2004 1:23:16 PM

Cologne / Germany

You can also cut off a few leaves on each side (or on one side where you need to walk) if the plant gets too crowded with the secondaries. I´m more a believer in the facts about rooting and stabilzing plants now. That´s the easiest way I think. Always depends at which stage you are. I sometimes had secondaries not developing at all - then you have to go with a pretty thin plant later if you cut some stronger ones before.

6/23/2004 1:48:21 PM

Cologne / Germany

BTW - I read an article somewhere saying "after 17 ft a secondary vine is not feeding the plant anymore, just itself". Maybe that´s a good reason to terminate them between 10 and 15 ft anyway depending on patch size.

6/23/2004 1:59:10 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

floh,
Interesting concept you stated.
It makes me wonder if Barrie isn't on to something(by trimming off every other leaf). Maybe the food intended for the leaf support, would go into the pumpkin. But of course it may decease the area(leaf surface are) avialable for photosynthesis, unless the other leaves fill in the space to make up for it. Very interesting.
With only one plant, I can't do much experimenting this year. I too would love to hear from some heavy hitters regarding what they do. If it's not to top secret that is(smile).

Doug

6/23/2004 2:19:35 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

thanks guys for the reply..been keeping an eye on Matts diary also..lol
hope everyone grows a (PB) this year

6/23/2004 4:25:10 PM

huntsburg,ohio

i'm pretty much a every other vine guy.I let my sides go to about 15 ft and the main 20.Jerry

6/24/2004 7:36:28 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks Jerry!
A heavy hitter has spoken.

6/24/2004 12:47:42 PM