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addison Il

okay i read the book lol but i need your advice my plants all survied the weather with no damage and i went out today to do an inspection with sis and spotted females all over 6 plants and all have one vine i guess the main growing one way about 5-6feet out now and the other vine is coming out of the main but growing the other way on each of my plants there are babies the pumpkins some the size of peas others even sis can spot about dime size my concern is what to do do i eliminate the females since i dont want to pollinate anything till the vines get to be about 12 feet out and i have to keep up on things since the plants have been growing all over i am training becuase my sons watermelon patch is next door and he will be upset if they overtake his melons so i need the pros what to do with the girls the males are all over but i need to offer some sort of birth control for my plants until there more out lol any advice and im sorry for driving peaple crazy nothing in the book tells you what to do if you get early females thanks

6/6/2005 9:13:49 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Pinch off the females, and lay off the Mountain Dew :0)

6/6/2005 11:48:39 PM

Montoursville, PA

Pinch off the males too at least up, to six feet. They are using energy the vine could use. If they open they invite cuke beetle and other visitors, to creapy crawl, all over the plants which may not be so good.

Consider mild preventative use of a fungicide right now. At this time I like to use Neem Oil with two tabelspoons full of baking soda to the gallon. Even though this is a mild suggestion the newest three or four leaves on any vine should not be sprayed until they harden a day or two. And late afternoon or early AM are safer than other times you might choose.

6/12/2005 3:39:37 PM

addison Il

called around my area and no one knows what neem oil is whats the name of it if i were to ask for it if there is one since i am going to try and stay as organic as possibly and thanks i will take off the males and these things come on quick i just got done pruning off females and more arriving daily but i can safely say 4 of my plants are now approching 12feet so i will wait till july and pollinate since i want to be in the weight off which is on oct 2 thanks for the advice and grow them big

6/12/2005 8:47:36 PM

Montoursville, PA

Neem Oil is a natural product. That is it's only name. We have it in all major garden chemical displays like Low's and Wallmart.

Go ahead and pollinate a series of three spread over two weeks or so. Grow them to basketball and go with the one that looks the best to you. Your plan is good but you must have plan A, B, & C in place. To much can go wrong.

6/12/2005 9:36:21 PM