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Bemidji Minnesota

If not growing for competition, how many sets can I leave growing?

This year, I am still in the learning phase, so I am not growing a WR class seed. I got a 514 Hoffman (932 Steves x 1088 Kennedy) growing decently right now, and the main is about 18 feet long, with good secondary development too.

At least for Minnesota this year. We had a very long winter, and I did not get the plant in the ground until the 25th of May.

Anyhow, things have progressed well since then, and I am not planning to compete this year. Rather just have some decent Giant Jack-O-Lanterns. So I am not concerned if my pumpkins are up to 20%-30% smaller than would be if I only had one. I just do not want them to be less than 50% the size I would have had with only 1.

If I let 2 fruit stay on the main will either still be able to grow over 400 pounds, or would that just end up dividing them into only 200 pounders if 2 are growing? Also, does distance from each other matter?

7/17/2008 12:23:23 PM

Nova Scotia

you can grow 4 decent fruit off one plant but they have to be as far apart as possible. example 1 at 10' main 1 At 20' main. then 2 on side vines 10' out on opposite sides.

7/17/2008 12:33:24 PM

Bemidji Minnesota

Thanks T,

gotcha.

For space reasons I think 1 on main, and maybe 2 on side vines will be how I cull it.

7/17/2008 12:41:58 PM