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Minnesota([email protected])

When do you recommend the termination of secondary vines on a Christmas tree pattern plant?
Do you terminate the seconaries over an extended period, to gradually increase energy to the pumpkin on the main vine?

Doug

7/27/2004 7:21:09 PM

Cologne / Germany

Depends on the size of your patch. But in general, not any further than 15 - 17 feet for a secondary as far a I heard.

7/27/2004 7:54:26 PM

Rhode Island

doug
we try and let all sides up to the fruit go to 14 feet

the sooner you can get these sides terminated the sooner the plant will switch from plant growth to fruit growth

an ideal situation would be to have all sides up to the fruit dead ended by the middle to third week of july

hope this helps

dick ripga

7/27/2004 9:12:39 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks for the comments.
I have a pumpkin pollinated on July 20. It's at 11' out on the main(it's growing slowly and is about softball size), my back secondaries are at 13-14 ft. long. I terminated these today. The other secondaries are progressively shorter, making the plant in the Christmas tree shape. Should I terminate one set every day or two, until I get to the fruit? Being I'm somewhat behind optimum fruit set time and plant size, should I try to direct the growth into the fruit, instead of letting the other secondaries grow considerably longer? I suppose there is no black and white answer, but I'd value any opinions.

Doug

7/27/2004 10:54:53 PM

Wichita, KS

It sound sounds to me like your plant is growing the same pace as mine. I like your plan. I think I'll try it. I like the idea of letting the sides grow out to a specific length before terminating them, so I think I'm going to go with 14 feet as well, meaning I have a couple vines to deadend tomorrow.

You're right, there's no black/white to it, just seems like a green-thumbers kind of call.

good luck!

7/28/2004 1:25:59 AM

NEPA [email protected] KB3QKV

My main stopped growing at 17' and the longest secondary that I have is about 7' all the vines stopped growing a week ago and I am not getting anymore flowers. Now with the secondaries so short and I only have 4 secondaries. should I bury theends of them in the ground anyway?

7/28/2004 10:27:34 PM

Western Pa.

Rootbee,

Something is wrong that your plant has stopped growing, even taking all the rain/cool weather into consideration. I usually terminate all vines by end of July, UNLESS it appears as if the plant doesn't have enough square footage of leaves to support a fruit.(At least 300-400). Good luck!

7/29/2004 1:52:37 AM

NEPA [email protected] KB3QKV

Kilr, there are plenty of leaves. After I pollinated the pumpkin no more male leaves appeared and the remaining 3 females died off. Then the plant stopped growing. Thanks for the help and good luck. The pumpkin is growing. Slow but sure. So at least I have the pumpkin. Thanks.

7/29/2004 9:13:19 AM