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Brampton Ontario

Hi there

On one of my Atlantic Giant plants i have 5 fruit growing and other females still forming. Fruit "A" is about 35lbs and Fruits "B,C,D & E" are about 6-7lbs. Do you think its time for me to remove Fruits B C D & E and just let Fruit "A" continue growing on its own or should i give it a little more time before i decide? to me it seems obvious that Fruit A is doing the best. Do you think i should give it a little more time?

also after i have decided on the fruit to keep, should i remove all of the secondary vines to let the plants energy focus on the Fruit or should i keep the secondary vines so the plant has more resources of getting energy and just remove the third vines?

thanks for any advice you can offer

7/16/2005 4:16:05 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

You can certainly start removing B,C,D&E but hang on to one of them as long as possible just in case something goes wrong with A.
I have a 100lb fruit A thats just stopped growing about 4 days after I removed B&C (with no D&E on the plant)it happens.

7/16/2005 5:17:36 AM

Brampton Ontario

AXC Did plat A stop growing as soon as you removed B & C or did it continue to grow for a bit? perhaps it just needs a rest or more food? Im not sure, i have never done this before.

7/16/2005 5:53:15 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Good advice...I think to keep a second fruit for a while yet...I am afraid that I culled to one fruit too soon on one of my plants...growth seems to have stopped at approx 50# on the one remaining fruit. Also, common practice is to not all tertiary (third vine) growth. The catchy phrase that I have read several times is..."We ain't growin' salad!" Have fun Peace Wayne

7/16/2005 7:56:07 AM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

Are any of the fruit on secondary vines? if so consider culling them.
If not then wait a while and pick the one that is growing the fastest. But you also need to consider shape, skin quality, stem angle and vine position.
If two are good prospects and on the main vine then watch both of them and which ever is growing faster when they hit about 50-70 pounds is the one I would keep.

7/16/2005 7:58:16 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

My "Fruit A" had got off to a flying start and was 29" @ 10 days it carried on averaging 4" day c but I thought it was slowing slightly at day 19-20 and culled B&C over two days in the hope of keeping things going,this has happened to me before with June pollinations I pollinated a couple more this morning on secondaries so there is still time.

7/16/2005 1:38:14 PM

Sioux Falls, SD garyboer@dakotalink.com

Don't just go by inches/day. . .an inch on a bigger pumpkin is way more pounds than an inch on a little young pumpkin. Use the chart and estimate weight gain, and use at least 3 days worth of gain to decide.

7/16/2005 1:53:33 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Gary, nu-B looking for more in-depth explanation of how to judge which fruit to cull. I know...I think I know...to compare growth of 'kins at same # of days since pollination. Is there an easy way to explain the growth comparison process to us nu-B's? My guess at this point...just starting up the learning curve...is that at some point it boils down to a roll of the dice!!! I culled a nice 'kin from my 891 Zunino at 12' and let one at 14' stay. They 12'er was growing just slightly faster at approx. 10 days but at a very acute angle to the vine. The 14'er was picking up steam and at an almost perfect 90 degree angle so the choice seemed easy. Now at approx 125" ott or 50# the 14' seems to have stopped growing. (6 straight days of light rain and now sun so all hope is not lost). All ideas appreciated by myself and all us nu-B's cause cuttin one of these monsters off is a big deal!!!Peace Wayne

7/16/2005 11:13:49 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Proof read, dummy!!! Should say "NO" sun!!! Peace Wayne

7/16/2005 11:15:33 PM