From

Location

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Date Posted

Highland, Ca

Hi all, I'm hoping someone can give an opinion I have a plant that is growing pretty well at about 400 sqare feet and I have one pumpkin set on a side vine out at about 10 feet, the vine is about two feet out from the stump,it's 16 days old and forty two inches in diameter, now I have a pumpkin set on the main 13 feet out it's thirteen days old and only 24 inches in diameter. I feed every week with peters and fish and seaweed but it seems like they are struggling to grow. Oh! It's an 1194 Pitura don't know much my first time growing Thanks for any advice

7/6/2009 10:55:44 AM

Rhode Island

cull the side vine pumpkin, keep only pumpkins on the main.
ya wanna be a big time grower? get some sacks and furgetabout side vine pumpkins, especially ones that are drawing juice away from the main vine pumpkin.
comeon now, what would howard think? hes up there watching.
pap.

7/6/2009 4:05:19 PM

Highland, Ca

Ok Pap just performed surgery with a twist,I cut that side vine off of the main treated the wound and buried the side vine in hopes that the roots on the side vine might keep it alive, what do ya think. Got one more question if you don't mind, I have another plant, a 1346 Pitura that was started at the same time as the other in the same soil, it looks greener and has a larger main but the leaves are half the size and secondaries are growing much tighter together as a matter of fact it is finally about to get it's first female flower ready in maybe another week,the plant only spreads about 175 feet and that female is out at 12 feet, how late in the season is to late to get anything started. Thanks for the advice Dan

7/6/2009 5:00:31 PM

Buffalo, New York

once i know a main vine fruit is set, i will cull 2ndary fruit, until day 15 of the main set, i will leave 1 or 2 side fruits just for backup.

7/6/2009 9:40:42 PM

Highland, Ca

I do have a female at about 22 feet out that I could pollinate would that be ok

7/6/2009 10:21:53 PM

Rhode Island

i like your attempt at growing out a side vine fruit by cutting it from the main but trying to grow out the fruit on that single vine. great thinking, your gonna do well in this hobby. ( if you get lucky possibly theres a couple third stage vines that you could also train for additional root support)?

what do i think about the chances for a pumpkin pollinated a week from now on a healthy plant thats only 175 sq ft?
id say why not? ya gots ta dance with the chick that brung ya. you would be surprised how big a fruit can be grown on 175 square ftif the plant is treated properly.

once quite a few years back we grew a pumpkin over 900 pounds on what amounted to 125 sq ft of plant (due to diseasse and damage i had to cut most of the plant out)
just treat the plant well and it should produce for you.

pap

7/7/2009 5:52:10 AM

Highland, Ca

Thanks for the support on that pap, all is in the works now so I'll keep you posted on the results and hope that you have a great year yourself. Dan

7/7/2009 7:48:46 AM