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Hudsonville, Michigan ([email protected])

I have a couple of plants with fruit set that are now showing a marked decrease in secondary growth, almost as though they are self terminating. Is this due to a nutrient shortage? Or is it just that my fruit is taking all the juice that was going to vine growth up till the last couple of days?
My inclination is to hit 'em with some nitrogen...
Any thoughts?
Frank

7/17/2004 7:26:15 PM

Rhode Island

frank
if the secondary vines after the fruit slow it is usually because the fruit ( if its a good one ) is taking the nutrients from the main and sides ( are they dead headed ?, from the fruit back to the base
especially if your secondary vines from base up to the pumpkin are dead ended, then all the juice will have to pass by the fruit before it can get to those other secondarys down the line
hope this helps

pumpkintoons r.i.

7/17/2004 10:12:06 PM

Key West, FL

I've also seen some plants just terminate all vine growth by themself once a pumpkin is going. The 805 pukos for example seems to do this a lot.

7/18/2004 12:44:56 PM

Hudsonville, Michigan ([email protected])

O.K. Thanks, guys. The plants in question are 895 Hester and 797.5 Wyckoff. The 797 seems to be afffected in secondaries only after the fruit. On the 895, all secondaries are terminating themselves, and secondaries beyond the fruit are almost non-existant. I was hoping for several more feet of secondaries before I would've terminated them myself...but I guess nature knows best.
Never had a plant self terminate before...
Frank

7/19/2004 3:47:49 PM