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Kutztown, PA

It was said on here a while back, and I just confirmed it with an experienced, well know grower that many terminate secondary vines at at 14-15 feet. I've done it at 15'. Assuming the goal is the have a plant, say between 700-1000 sf, how can you expect to get there? Scenario: You have a decent plant with 20 secondary vines and you pollinate at 15'out and all secondary vines were completely grown out to a 15' length. At that point the plant would be 450 sf. Let's say you let another 5' grow backwards out of your first set of secondary vines, that adds another 150 sf. Now your at 600. Your plant would have to grow another 13 feet past the pumpkin and have enough good secondary growth to get to 1000 sf. Seems like a tuff row to stirrup hoe to me. Here's a related question: What would be better to let the main continue naturally and grow out the secondary, or dead had the main a couple of sets of secondary vines past the pumpkin and on the last set grow the tertiary vines out perpendicularly to your desired plant range?

7/3/2024 9:24:56 AM

You should have asked that question to the experienced well known grower you talked to!

[Last edit: 07/03/24 5:24:56 PM]

7/3/2024 11:18:23 AM

Grittyville, WA

Your questions are getting good.

Was it mobeymike who did the later method with the best results? I dont know who else is growing them this way, either way could grow a big pumpkin. If you have two or more plants then maybe you can figure out which way works best for you.

7/3/2024 11:21:59 AM

Fullerton, California

What if you let the tertiaries grow 15'off your last two secondaries before the fruit and a few more secondaries past the fruit.

7/3/2024 7:08:51 PM

Plymouth, MN

Travis fills his patch with growth past the fruit. Says the late season vines push late season gains.
Related, I've been using tertiaries off my first few secondaries to back fill part of the patch. Find these couple of secondaries act almost like alternative mains. Have finally terminated most, but their tertiaries are also growing really robustly. Anyone else experienced this? Could just be our weird season and dealing with nutrient deficits across the board plus colder than normal tempts shutting down many of the other secondaries prematurely.

[Last edit: 07/07/24 9:05:19 PM]

7/7/2024 9:05:09 PM