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Sydney, Australia

My 845 Bobier plant has only formed 2 true leaves for some reason. There are a few small buds forming on either side of the cotyledons and next to the second true leaf, that could be vines starting. I have the same problem with the 419 Pukos. Has anyone had this problem before and grown a pumpkin from the plant? If so, how big? Did a vine form? Was the vine a strong one? Is it worth keeping a plant like this growing, or cull?

Thanks for any advice or experience, don't want to have to cull an 845 or 419. Of course the plants won't be strong and normal, but you never know with AG's..... Ben

10/16/2004 8:16:46 PM

Hensler North Dakota

I had one do that to me this year. Ended up pinching those extra leaves and buds off and it did start pushing out a vine.

10/16/2004 8:38:50 PM

Key West, FL

weird, my 723 did the same thing, it got way behind so I ended up pulling the plant.

10/16/2004 9:10:19 PM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

You'll get a vine.... eventually... I actually did an experiment on 4 seeds {February germinated} pinched main vine at the 3rd leaf node... let new vine grow to 3rd leaf node. pinched again, then let plant grow. Both times the 2nd leaf node became the dominate "New main" area, and I cut off the other two sides which allowed the new main to get all the energy. This slowed things down so much to where they were only around 5-8 inches long by early May... about 10 weeks of indoor torture before they got to really grow.

Amazingly... all 4 plants ended up out performing ALL of my late seed started plants right up to my 12 inch hail storm. Even after, those 3 still did better, one growing my largest {591.6}, the other two grew 15 others 100-200-ish LB. ranges in 300 SF {200 SF/ 100 SF}, and the fourth grew a mid 300 LB. fruit at the Eiffler "gasoline & desert soil" garden. If anything tops 100 LBS over there, it is a miracle.

You perhaps might consider the plant as a loss for now... but allow it some room to grow... just in case. Give some other plants the room you were going to give that one, or start another seed. But by all means... DON"T GIVE UP ON IT YET! If you can give it the time it needs, you might have results similar to mine.

BTW.... did ya do the 827's? LOL!

10/16/2004 11:36:36 PM

Sydney, Australia

Thanks for the info guys. Awesome info Marc, it was as I expected. Well even better, there is some hope! Just dug out the 845 and will move it to another smaller section of the patch, and give it 200sqft and see what happens. Hopefully a decent pumpkin and a good cross. It could be a good pollinator plant too for the 805 and 1301.5. Now what to replace it with.......... Ben

10/17/2004 2:39:19 AM

[email protected]

Hey Marc,

Ben's dilema could be the space challenged growers salvation.

Did those pinched main plants produce normal female flowers? Did fruit set closer to the crown?

10/17/2004 7:25:24 AM

Wroclaw, Poland (51 N, 17 E)

wow... Suabru.. pulling 723 ? 723 !!?? :-D

10/17/2004 10:37:30 AM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

Steve;

Everything grew normal. I will go snap a picture of how my 303's main vine developed after planting it outside. This might open up everyones eyes really wide ... the inital plant does not always have to be perfect in the begining. If it wants to grow, it will!

10/17/2004 12:41:17 PM

Key West, FL

Ben, you made the right decision. Yes pumpkin, I pulled a 723. It was June, and it had 3 leaves and the plant next to it had a 2 foot vine. Wasn't very hard.

10/18/2004 11:17:07 PM