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Owatonna Minnesota

I have 4 very nice fruits growing but the largest and fastest growing one is on a secondary vine.I only have one on the main about 15 feet out from the stump.I am using seed stock from Lowes so I am not sure of the genetics.Should I cull all but the one on the main or stick with the fastest growing one on the secondary?

7/30/2008 10:48:43 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Monster, probably the worst part for all new growers is which pumpkin is the "Keeper". Especially if you start with great soil put a seed in and Voila you have a huge plant and several pumpkins going...Most of the time, it takes several attempts (years) at getting the soil right for that type of decision. Main Sets are always preferred as a main vine is wired to all the secondaries. A secondary set is required if the main vine goes down from the stump to wherever...If you allow a secondary to grow a pumpkin it will not flow anything toward the main but suck from it....so not only will that secondary not feed the main, it will draw from it... The vascular system is pipe..allow the pipe to grow and it will continue to do so. if you allow several pipes to grow they will detract from the other ones...We try to allow all the pipes to go to one "sink" . allowing maximum flow to there. confusing the plant with multiple "sinks" wires the flow everyhere. the faster you leave just one pumpkin on the faster it will be the "sink" you want to grow...gets ya thinking but that's what these HH's are doing. GrowEmBig! Chuck

7/31/2008 12:23:40 AM

Rhode Island

in the future just pollinate pumpkins on the main ( pinch off all on secondary ) and you wont face that decision.
also get some good seeds from growers here on bp or at auction.

7/31/2008 5:37:25 AM