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Kutztown, PA

So, the story goes like this: I got a little crazy this year when my first choice pollination were a little leggy and weren't coming along the way I wanted them to after I put them in the ground. So I decided to go ahead and plant a couple of my back up in the hoops a couple of feet away from the starters. But low and behold the starters came to life and my impatient self was left with pumpkin on his face. I even sacrificed my planned 150 sf plant to the backup effort. When I saw my starters were all performing well I said to myself: Garwolf, why don't you just dig up that 2350 Morse you used for a backup and plant it in your 150 spot. I grab a regular size shovel and ousted the thing as surgically as such a shovel allows and transplanted it for the second time into the 150 slot. The first week or so it was a little wilted so I remove a few leaves so the roots could catch up and provide water. Now it's looks fine but it's moving a little slow. So, my question to you guys is: what's the prognosis on this plant. Will the disruption have a permanent affect?

5/30/2023 4:25:05 PM

Syracuse, NY

My plants are just starting to do noticeably well with the recent streak of warmth and dry weather, putting me in charge of the watering and supply of MG 10-52-10; I hit them all the same way and that was initially at planting 2 gals of it at 1 tbsp/gal H2O then one time a couple (2-3) days from then at 1 gal of it then I skipped MG one cycle and I just did 1 gal MG 10-52-10 a couple days ago and am now in a water-only cycle rest of today on the ones that are un-sprinklable yet, lol;
Next is MG 24-8-16 every few days, (3 probably) no matter what up until I see males getting close to being fully mature;

My plants are all doing freakin' fine and are not dead, hence, as your 2350 Morse is, if MY plants are OK, yours will be, too, but I'll tell ya, what they'll need more than anything is WATER - and time. Just look for any signs of NEW development and gradually 'let out the clutch;

I fine-tuned my initial Whizzer sprinklers today and of the 8 I have up, I can straight-water 4 of them at <= 2 hours each
(mechanical timer). That's probably 35-40 gallons of H2O each, and I am NOT worried!
They are running as slowly as possible - the plants are only Christmas Poinsettia-sized, but are getting that 'look'! eg

5/30/2023 5:04:44 PM

Syracuse, NY

clutch';

5/30/2023 5:06:55 PM

Grittyville, WA

Same boat here I yanked a plant out (broke ALL its roots off except for just a few threads) and replanted it with the intention of growing a nice orange pumpkin in 150 feet. For future reference I think if you cut off the leaf surface but not the leaf stalk (it will look like a skeleton) but I think that's what gives the quickest recovery.

I wouldn't give it too much water because the main affect of root damage is to inhibit calcium uptake and excessive soil saturation could also inhibit calcium uptake.

In the end if it wants to grow it will.

5/31/2023 2:09:15 AM

Bethlehem CT

Once it is fully recovered, that plant will have the same potential as any other pumpkin. The only lasting affect is that you will lose the days where it was recovering and not growing. SO it will be a bit behind that is all.

5/31/2023 7:24:57 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Big moon hit the nail on the head in his first sentence.

Same potential, but lost time while it recovers.

5/31/2023 8:39:52 AM

Littlerock, WA

I gave a friend a plant I dug up from the garden, and he grew a 1700+ pounder with it.

5/31/2023 12:00:16 PM

Syracuse, NY

We've seen your kinda plants, Cindy - No contest!
(There you go, Garwolf);
That is incredible and I know I'm glad to hear it---eg

5/31/2023 4:06:23 PM

Kutztown, PA

Ok I'll see what happens and check in later. But, if it doesn't grow a 1,700 pounder I'm gonna be upset. :) So far you guys haven't been wrong, except for that 26" comment C2K made yesterday on FB:) Anyway, it's OTT that matters C2K :)

6/1/2023 1:58:30 PM

Kutztown, PA

Oops forgot to say: Thanks to all for the advice.

6/1/2023 1:59:28 PM

Plainville, Connecticut 06062

I have quite a bit of experience with digging up plants and then putting them somewhere else! This is what I learned. The younger the plant the smaller the plant the less shock you will have and the less time it will take for it to recover. I have replanted a few that had a short main were larger then I would have liked that took but it set them back a few weeks! Once your root system under the ground gets disturbed usually with a bigger older plant is when the shock sets in and sets them back why a younger smaller plant with a smaller root ball has a better chance of no or small shock to the root ball and no or very small recovery back to normal. I would however if possible not try a transplant on a rare healthy proven seed that has been in the ground awhile even though you think you did not disturb the root ball most likely you did and you will be set back enough to knock you out of contention. Two weeks recovery you can’t make up!

6/3/2023 4:33:12 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Garwolf. have moved a three leaf cucumber four times in the last two days as I searched for a proper home in my garden. Hit it with high Phos & compost tea and some growth hormones like IBA. Then it will bounce back very quickly.

6/5/2023 8:50:59 AM