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Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Ok here is a question and a problem or maybe not. I have a nice pumpkin growing on the 1207 Young plant at 12 feet out on the main.It is at 45 inches now at day 16 and growing 5 inches a day now.This week earlier my first side vine that is 20 feet long now and is a double vine had a pumpkin bloom at 16 feet and was a very big female and a nice 4 lobe. My son wanted to pollinate it so i said ok and we did. It was under the vine and after 3 days we got it to the side of the vine. It is at 26 inches at day 7. growing very well. How much will it take away from the main fruit.The plant is not that big maybe 14 feet wide and 19 feet long now. If it was a normal vine I would of cut it off but man is it growing. Any thoughts? I have photos in my diary.

6/8/2008 4:06:41 PM

not sure what id do marty .you could grow 2 on the plant i am impressed with color on pumpkin and shape il come down couple weeks il bring my sunglasses

6/8/2008 4:58:38 PM

No Place Special

Marty I have no clue how much juice that second fruit would suck from your main fruit but I think anything lost due to it is a waste. This is your year my man I say cut that sucker off and go for the gold. You have a huge jump on the rest of us and you need to maximize that. Last year Rob, Dan/Marc, Don, Julie and Myself all had fair fruit growing like crazy. Take full advantage of your head start because im sure all of the above mentioned will soon be fast on your tail.

6/9/2008 12:31:28 AM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

If you want to set a second one on a secondary past the main fruit, I think its a much better option. Some folks will leave a pumpkin like this on a secondary and monitor the growth of the primary fruit. If its hitting the bench marks, it may prevent a super fast growing fruit from blowing up. If the main fruit is not hitting the bench marks, I would cut it off. Be sure to remove it over a two or three day period and not juut before a big rain.

In my experiance, I believe it will take away from the main fruit and I would remove it. I have to echo Frantz's comments, go for it Marty, remember I'm betting on you in the pool!

John

6/9/2008 11:25:24 AM

Clinton, Iowa

Great news Marty . God knows you deserve a little of these types of problems verses all the other crap you have suffered thru the past several years. My hat is off to you for sticking with it!! great job and best of luck.
I have grown multiple fruit on plants before. ALMOST always the main viners is the best..unless something happens along the way to hinder the growth. the year I grew the 846 Calai I went with 3 fruit for seeds.one back main that went 803? i think one main vine that went 724...and one side vine that went est 500...did the side vine effect the main..you bet, but I seruiously doubt the back main effected the main vine fruit.
don't let early growth weigh totally on your decision . yes it is important BUT i have seen some real screamers on side vines that get totally ate up by main vine fruit during the later stages. Hope this helps...Good luck
DAN

6/9/2008 8:40:21 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Thanks guys for all the help and ideas,Yes it is growing very fast at day 8 at 30 inches cir. The main gained 5 inches so not much lost there. We talked about cutting the vine a couple feet away from the main and let the side vine grow like the main vine is and train a couple vines off it to help support its growth.

6/9/2008 9:11:55 PM

Colorado

just my two cents -I'd go with the fruit on the main because the two you have are close to the same in age.If you let them both go i'll bet the main vine fruit gets bigger than the other and theyll not get as big if you have both on.set another on a side vine closer to july first and they wont compete with each other as bad

6/10/2008 12:44:31 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Marty,
That's a tough decision, but a good one to have at this point, I think. If you cut off that double sidevine, I wonder how much, if any affect it will have on the ultimate size of the pumpkin on the mainvine? Just something to think about.

6/10/2008 1:30:41 PM