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Massachusetts

I have 2 plants. Plant 1 has been out in the patch one week longer than plant 2. Plant 1 is about 2 feet long. Plant 2 is 3 feet long. Plant 2 main vine is about thump width thickness. Plant 1 has a very thick main vine already. Maybe 1.5 thumbs wide? It’s very noticeably thicker than plant 2. I don’t believe plant one is a Ribbon or double. Seems normal. Having trouble deciding. How does everyone else decide? What factors do you use? Does vine thickness mean bigger fruit potential? Thank you

5/22/2023 6:37:43 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

You can wait longer- I let mine get to 4-5 feet to where I can observe secondary growth. I believe secondary growth is more important than stump thickness. Mostly because Chris told me that is what I should believe. :)

5/22/2023 7:46:47 PM

Elk County, PA

Usually the decision is clearly made for me. If not color wins out, or one I secretly wanted to win anyways.

5/23/2023 2:08:18 AM

Kutztown, PA

I'm considering exactly the same thing with exactly the same timing. I have a 1904 Sperry which one the Ridgefield weigh off last year and next to it, 10 days younger an 1,102 that I crossed myself and it went 21% heavy last year (2365 Wolf x 1,706 Uhlmeyer) The l,102 got a foamy early on so I removed the crown and the first 5 fully grown secondary vines the day I pollinated it. That was July 4th. It grew on about 400 sf of vine from that point on. Maybe because I worked so hard to keep it going I keep thinking I'll toss the 1,904 and keep it. Don't usually make decisions based on sentimental value. Both plants look nice for their age, but I need to decide soon.

5/23/2023 10:38:03 AM

Grittyville, WA

A cooperative plant that wants to grow in the correct direction is really all I ask at that early stage. Where you are at, I'd be stumped, too, and I'd probably let them grow a little longer. Its ok if things get a little crowded, as long as you've got full sun, even with overlapping leaves both plants will get enough light. I like to wait to for cloudy days to cull crowded stuff out, because on these days a lack of sun becomes a limiting factor.

5/23/2023 11:21:30 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I'd personally go with the thicker vine since its vascular network is already bigger. I have problems every year with long, stringy plants that grow up to 18 inches a day. They are light starved after 3pm which is probably why, and never get to develop the way the big boys do.

5/24/2023 8:35:36 AM