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Monrovia, CA

Hello!! I have a plant that I set the first fruit on at about 8-9 feet out. It took and is growing well, but I'm hoping to keep the next fruit which is closer to 12' out. Obviously the second fruit is smaller because it was pollinated 5 days later, but is that first fruit actually stealing energy from the second one because it is closer to the stump? Should I take a chance and cull the first one to boost the second or leave both and track growth rates for awhile? Thanks for any input.
Michelle

7/12/2008 8:31:45 PM

Colorado Springs.Co

This doesn't come from experience but I'm leaving the early one until I know the last one is not going to abort. If it costs me five to ten pounds at the end of the season thats better than waiting another week for another female that may or may not have issues and continuing to lose time.

7/12/2008 9:12:28 PM

Puyallup, WA

More than once have I regretted being too hasty with the knife on initial pollinations. IMHO....as long as the initial pumpkin is smaller than a basketball not much "damage" is being done down line to the later pollinations.

7/12/2008 11:22:58 PM

Reed Point Montana

last year i let the first fruit grow it was about 8 feet out and it stoped growing about a month befor the end of the season. If i was you i would either cull it now or you should let any second pumpkin set being that the first one most likely wont go the full season

7/13/2008 1:32:00 AM

Western Pa.

Michelle,

Keep both for a while. Time will tell you which to cull. One will probably be more symmetrical, maybe have a longer stem, or be in better position on the vine. The first set is NOT always the biggest. 12' out is more favorable than 8', but measure the 2 daily, and I'd keep the one that is gaining the most!

7/13/2008 9:56:43 AM

Simi valley, ca

Hey neighbor: I like to get the other ones off the vine as soon as i know which i am going with , But want to see the one i am thinking of- get to grapefruit size before comfortable its not going to abort . How far out was your 1378?

7/13/2008 11:13:39 AM

Buffalo, New York

lets say a plant has 2 fruit on the main and 1 each on 5 different secondary vines for a total of 7 fruit.

should i snip all the secondary ones now or pollinate them all first?

7/13/2008 11:25:57 AM

maine USA

I have a bit of a dilemaI have one at 13'4" 4 lobes and another at 18'9" 5 lobes. I was always intending to keep the second one. But today I measured the first one and it beats the 10 day 1200 benchmark by 1.5" A good dilema I suppose, but still not easy. Kathy

7/13/2008 12:04:14 PM

Monrovia, CA

Thanks for the comments!! I'm thinking maybe I should cull anything under 10 feet out before it even blossoms so I don't have this dilemma. The 8 foot set is gaining about 5 inches a day (14 days old..33") The second is only gaining about 3" a day but is only 9 days old and has already passed the first one's 10 measurement. E-gads.....

7/13/2008 12:35:50 PM

Long Island,New York

The first fruit will generally suck some life from the second fruit....so you need to evaluate all the things we decide from...angle, location, curve of vine etc and make a judgement call. Keep in mind that in about 2 weeks time there will typically be posts about people losing stumps and parts of the beginning of the main vines....do you want a fruit close to a non existant stump or a fruit thats a bit further down the line with more plant to fuel it? Sometimes it pays to follow the standards.....15ft min out on the main, no secondaries...timing issues....good curves etc....

7/13/2008 4:32:30 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Hi Michelle,

I have the same problem on my 1092 Martin, dealing with one at 8 feet and one at around 13 feet.

You just said something very important... your second one is growing faster. It was larger on day 9 than your first one was on day ten. You should consider the age of each fruit in this situation. Being in California, you have a long time to grow. I'd take the second one.

In my climate, we're going to freeze sometime in the first week of September.

Good luck!

7/14/2008 4:58:44 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

ha ha, when I say "I'd take the second one", that means I'd KEEP the second one, remove the first. Of course, considering everything else, stem size, shape, etc.

7/14/2008 5:00:41 PM

Monrovia, CA

Well, it's done. I culled the largest pumpkin at 8 feet out in favor of the 11 foot (and possible 15 foot) It was a hard decision, I hope the plant now puts its energy into #2 the way it was doing in #1. In the end Mother Nature is the one to decide. Once again, thanks to everyone for their input....good luck to ALL!!!!!
Michelle

7/14/2008 6:30:04 PM