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Salem, OR

I know this is going to sound like a dumb question, but on my pumpkin plants the 10 day measurement on the first pumpkin on the main (closest to the stump) is always coming out to be the largest. I read about people selecting the farthest pumpkin out, but I am noticing that my fastest growers are closest to the stump. Is this normal? I am taking 10 day measurements, and the results have been consistent. I have pumpkins set further down the main vine with 6 lobes, but they are all grower slower then my first set. I do have a lot of females on the secondaries could that be impacting my results? I just hate to cut off any pumpkins until I know I have a good one growing. Being a new grower I'm a little shy in cutting off anything I might need later :)

7/17/2007 10:50:07 AM

Buffalo, New York

this is my first year growing these giants also.

I have 1 plant.....i have counted 7 females on my plant as of this morning.

(2) on main vine - 15' and 18' out from stump, 18' with 7 lobes.
(5) on seperate secondary vines.

I refuse to remove any more females until i know i have 2 good pumpkins also. I am sure i will leave 1 on the main and remove the other.

I tried to pollinate 4 of them on saturday the 14th. Seems like those 4 are growing at 1" to 1-1/2" per day now.

So i am not experiencing the same thing, how far from the stump are these pumpkins and how big are they growing each day?

7/17/2007 11:03:58 AM

Georgia

Initially with pumpkins the first set closest to the stump tend to grow faster. Its like on one of my pumpkin plants my fastest growing pumpkin is light three foot down the main and then another four feet out on a secondary vine. But at about 13 foot on the main I have a nice one growing. I could do one of two things get rid of the one closest to the stump and just go with the one on the main. Or grow it as a insurance policy. They sometimes start off faster and will grow and alright pumpkin but if ya want a big dog it needs a lot of plant behind it.

7/17/2007 11:38:09 AM

Buffalo, New York

now when you say "behind it", you mean which direction?

7/17/2007 11:52:53 AM

Georgia

Behind it I mean all the secondaries and stump. Thats why a lot of growers like to grow as far on the main as they can. A big Pumpkin usually requires a fairly large plant. I also wonder jeremy when people say its alright to set fruit on secondaries Im confused as on how far the secondaries should the fruit set and should these also be the secondaries further down the plant. Hopefully someone more experienced will chime in and help out.

7/17/2007 12:42:56 PM

Minnesota

OK, I'm barely more experienced but this is my 2nd year and I have 6 plants going this year.. Just wait, You too will be very knowledgable next year!!
So, The "Golden Zone" for a pumpkin is between 12-14 feet out on the MAIN vine.. I pull ALL flowers and bury ALL my secondaries as they grow, Pinching off tertiaries at the same time. This allows Roots to anchor and feed from each leaf node.. Last year I didn't and it was near impossible. But, I leave ALL main vine flowers in place and hope for the 12-14 foot mark. Some experts say you want at least 14 secondaries behind the fruit and there is some studying the effect on that.
I see no issues going to 15-18 feet especially if you have a 7 lober.. Now that would be the one I'd try and keep no matter what.
Huge = 1 pumpkin total, All else culled. Some Heavy hitters have grown 2 huge on one plant but I think they can cause they have 20 plants going!!!
When you pumpkin is about the size of a beachball it has passed my test of if it will make it and everything else goes.. 15-20 days should get her that big...
This is just what I've heard, been told, observed and or read about.. Take what you want out of it and good luck growing!!

7/17/2007 2:54:04 PM

Buffalo, New York

what size beach ball are we talking?

7/17/2007 6:56:44 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

beach ball, about 2' across

7/17/2007 8:06:52 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

sjeffers, you have to remember the first pumpkin on the main is probably getting more nutrients than the next guys in line. Are you judging progress by the overall size of each fruit or by the individual daily growth amount of each one? Naturally the first one on the main will start out being the biggest because it was there first but keep a check on daily measurements of each fruit and after they reach basketball size you should see different growth rates on each fruit. At that time the first may not always be the best even though it is the biggest at the time. You also have to take into consideration vine angle. I learned the hard way that staying with a fast growing fruit that does not have a good vine angle is a MISTAKE! I know now that taking a lesser fruit with a better vine angle is always best.

7/17/2007 10:38:25 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

From my limited experience, it seems most of my first pollinations on the main, are the faster growers, and the ones I keep. Athough last year the third on the main grew faster early on(so I kept it). Of four plants this year, the first pollination is my keeper on three plants, while the second pollination on one plant is my keeper.

7/17/2007 10:47:36 PM

Salem, OR

Thanks All. I am measuring every 10 days, and still seeing the same thing. The first set on the vine is growing substantially faster then the rest. All sets are at least 8ft out with most 12+ ft out. For example on day 10 I was measuring 22" for the first set at 8ft, second set day 10 was at 9" about 10ft out. How do I bring myself to cull the first one?? She is doubling in size about every 7 days. The ones further on the vine are just creeping along. I am seeing this consistently on all six plants. What is the drop dead date to making a final decision on which one to keep with weigh offs in early October.

7/19/2007 4:05:32 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

SJeffers,
I'd be quite careful about culling the first one...it may be your keeper. The second one, at 9" for day 10, could be aborting soon, as it's growth is quite slow. I had one, further down the main from my keeper, that grew very slow for about 8-10 days, then felt a little soft, so I culled it.
What are your goals this year? Do you still have pumpkins on the secondaries? Do you want just one pumpkin on the plant in the end?

7/19/2007 5:17:08 PM

Buffalo, New York

this is my first year growing these beasts.

i am not trying to grow a world record.....i would just love to grow one 100 pounds my first year.

i will probably leave 3 on my plant, 1 on the mian and 2 on different secondarys.

7/19/2007 6:48:30 PM

Salem, OR

Doug, I am a second year grower, and last year I my best weighed in at 739. So I am hoping to beat that. I am being a little more aggressive this year, and only keeping pumpkins on the main. I hculled all my pumpkins on my secondaries just a few days ago, to see if that would help the growth on my pumpkins further down on the main. I had 5+ pumpkins on the secondaries. So I am hoping this will make a difference. Any advice? I am getting a little nervous as my patch is on the PNWPG tour this year. A lot of pressure for a second year grower!!

7/19/2007 7:03:15 PM

Salem, OR

Yes, my goal is to end up with only one left on my plants. The "mother ship" of all pumpkins remaining LOL.

7/19/2007 7:04:38 PM

Salem, OR

My above message should read one pumpkin per plant.

7/19/2007 7:25:56 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

You've asked a very good quiestion, on you first post on this thread. I don't have any experience with cutting off a better grower closer to crown/stump, in favor of a slower grower further down the vine. I've always kept the one that's growing the best early on(they were mostly past 10' on the main). I don't know if the further one would catch up, after the closer pumpkin is culled. I hope someone with more experience will chime in.
You may want to make this post on the General Discussion message board, as you may get more viewers/responses there. Good luck!

7/19/2007 7:44:57 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

I've noticed on many of my plants, that the first pollination that I keep on main, is the prime grower. It seems like it takes energy/food from those further down the vine. Not always, but quite often this seems to be the case for me.

7/19/2007 7:47:47 PM