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Fairport,NY

When do most prune away the tendral ,leaf stalk, and secondary at the newly pollinated female flower area?
I myself figured I would wait to see If the pollination is successful before cutting away a precious energy source like a secondary or leaf? I figured once it's established as a "sure set" I will cull the secondary and leaf stalk and start working on getting the Pumpkin into a prime growing position?
Just curious what others do?

6/21/2008 11:19:13 PM

Ohio

leave them on.
The secondary that is right next to your female flower is like gold to me. Its the closest direct feeding tube that your gonna get besides your main vine. If the leaf isn't in the way leave it on, nothing better then having a engine right on the stem of your pumpkin.

6/22/2008 4:55:25 AM

Burton, Ohio

If you let a secondary grow that close to the pumpkin, won't that put stress on the stem as the pumpkin grows? You have allowed upward movement on the main vine with an "S" configuration but how will the secondary move if its rooted?

6/22/2008 8:05:10 AM

personally i cut off the additional vine that grows right
out of the stem of the pumpkin...too many times i have had the fruit grow right on top of it once it gets to beachball size, and subsequently the stem gets torn off of the pumpkin because of it. of course, neglect can contribute to this but an extra vine right there is
my own no-no. the LEAF that forms right at the pumpkin?
it is okay because it can provide shade initially but
eventually gets dismissed. if anything, yeah, wait until the fruit gets to be a volleyball before cutting anything away---MHO---eric

6/23/2008 6:39:41 PM

Clarence, NY

Ha - just what you need is another opinion. I agree with Brooks - I'd keep the secondary but prepare to give it plently of slack & lift to avoid stem stress. Build dirt up to the secondary. Tendrals are nothing but a headache - do the snip!

Jim

6/23/2008 6:57:52 PM