From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Whidbey Island

I did not have enough bend to my vine on my by far biggest and now I am paying the price. I am afraid the shoulders will push against the vine and snap it off the stem.
So far I have gently pulled the vine on either side of the fruit back a mm or two every day with a sling tied off to a fence post. I am afraid I'll lose the battle as the shoulders are growing far faster than I dare bend the vine.
Are there any opinions or experience with driving 1x6 planks into the ground between the fruit's shoulders and the vine? Will it simply keep the shoulders from expanding in that location or do you think it will create such force as the fruit grows that it will shift the fruit and snap the stem? Any other ideas?
Thanks.
WPM

7/29/2004 9:15:49 AM

Indiana

Can you CAREFULLY slide the pumpkin away form the vine a bit??
Steve

7/29/2004 9:48:12 AM

Utah

try a piece of semi-hard foam instead of wood. give it a try and see how it works... you can always do more drastic measures later... see below...

how far out it the fruit ?
how much plant is there past it ?
one option is to move everything past the fruit. it would be a pain but it is do-able ... i know because i have done it. you might have to unbury a lot of vine and cut or try to move and transplant a bunch of little node roots ... but that's better than the fruit picking itself.

if there is not much plant past the fruit and you don't want to mess with trying to move all the vines past it... then you can, as a last resort, cut the vine just past the fruit. then you reposistion the pumpkin to alleviate the stress on the one remaining attached vine.

7/29/2004 9:49:24 AM

Vermont Green MTN State

I have a similar issue. Where the vine had cracked and so I buried it and wouldn’t that be where my best pumpkin started just a foot from it!!! I have been working with it so far last night I put a sand bag under the flower end to get the stem end closer to the ground, so far..so good.

7/29/2004 9:49:54 AM

Wv

Interesting problem. first of all dont ever try sliding the pumpkin away from the vine. i would just continue with the daily training of the vine with small sticks and only move 1/4 inch at most a day to be safe.

7/29/2004 1:22:59 PM

Joliet, IL

i have wrestled with the kins 4 times this season
and have slid them back away from the vine side only
after creating good slack by severing all tap roots
3' in both dirrections along with attached secondary
vine tap roots in the close vacinity. 2 or 3 inches
each time and then block the vine to support it with
styrofome blocks. due to shorter stems on both my large
pumpkins, at some point i will place some thin styrofome
pieces between the shoulders and the vine so the surface
doesn't get beat up by vine if and when they meet. i still
have nice slack and the vine will have some time being
pushed out by the growth before any real stress is created.
when sliding the kins, be careful not to touch the stem
or the blossum. the last time i moved it it was too heavy
to pull and i couldn't get a good grip so i had to push it
back to move it. do it with patience and a steady hand and
foot. have the beer after wards instead of prior. it is
nerve racking for sure, but some times needs to be done
before its too late because they weigh too much to move.

7/30/2004 11:48:22 PM

Whidbey Island

thanks to all for your ideas
WPM

7/31/2004 9:09:05 AM