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Saegertown Pa.

If you leave them on the vine after they stop growing will they maintain there weight or will they eventually start loosing weight ? I'm looking to hold one for five weeks on the vine after it should be done growing and I'm a little worried about weight lose and rot problems.

8/24/2012 6:07:28 AM

France

Leave it on the vine and protect the fruit as much as you can against the weather and It will last weeks without losing weight.

8/24/2012 8:17:14 AM

Lexington, Ky

I kept a 62 pounder on a main vine for four weeks. I weighed it periodically with digital bathroom scales, lost about a half pound. Mill fabric under, white towel over...still rock solid.

8/24/2012 8:29:12 AM

Mulino, Oregon

Quinn, once they reach maturity (full orange)they loose weight, even on the vine. I think Thad lost nearly 17 lbs last year after it matured prior to the weighoff.

8/25/2012 1:28:14 AM

Bethlehem CT

I picked mine last year a month before the weigh-off and it lost 12 pounds.

8/25/2012 7:19:28 AM

Western PA

I am leaving mine on the vine this year. I am in the same boat as Quinn.Fruit is about done growing.

I picked one last year that weighed around 70 pounds, set it on a pc of wood in my basement for nearly 45 days before weigh off. It lost a lot. It weighed 56 pounds at the weigh off.
I can only think that leaving it on the vine has to be better. Look at what happens to the stem a few weeks after you harvest these.They usually shrink up.

I wanted to put the bathroom scale under mine last week to get a weight, then weigh it again when I harvest it.That did not work since I could not lift it up.

8/25/2012 10:02:37 AM

Lexington, Ky

Dang Zappa, must be a nice one!

8/25/2012 10:17:52 AM

Saegertown Pa.

Thanks, it sounds like the first weigh off I can get to in three weeks I need to be there.

8/27/2012 12:47:05 PM