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Macomb County

One feature that affects this is whether the plant is growing near other green plants. If a plant finds itself in competition with others, it will direct growth into leaf growth and away from reproductive growth (flowers, fruits, tubers or other storage organs). The plant can detect the presence of other plants within a metre of it by the spectrum of the light landing on its leaves. When its near neighbours are further away, it can afford to put more of its resources into reproduction.
I always wondered why 2 plants to a hill doesn't work. But I'm wondering if 2 to a hill at first then, might the veg stage?

5/2/2009 5:13:55 PM

Springfield, Missouri

How would the plant be able to tell if the reflected light was coming from the leafs of other plants and not its own? If this has been tested how do they know that growth hormone exchange via air and soil is not the real reason this happens. where is the source of this info?

5/2/2009 5:21:43 PM

Pennsylvania

Maybe every plant reflects a slightly different spectrum of green light.

5/2/2009 5:32:47 PM

Eastern Washington State

Excellent question Logan. I don't think the plant could tell the difference. Presumably the signal is mediated by new growth, which would be on the periphery. Plants can sense the light spectra they encounter, they use photoreceptors called phytochromes to do this. This is outside my area of expertise, but my feeling is that light intensity also plays a role, ie if a plant is getting plenty of light it will not 'care' if there are other plants in the vicinity.

5/2/2009 6:19:44 PM

hamilton,Ontario

its true Jack......I had a weed pop up and the pumpkin retreated and went from 70lbs a day down to 66 lbs day growth for 144 days..too bad I didnt get the 70lbs or i might have made the papers.........

5/2/2009 10:19:30 PM

Pennsylvania

Now that I think of it, maybe this mechanism is one reason why weeds slow down the fruit growth of plants.

5/3/2009 12:24:04 AM

Ohio

how do we know weeds cut back on pumpkin growth?,,, we really dont.

Larry Checkon doesnt weed close to his plants, he lets them grow so he doesnt disturb the pumpkin roots .
I tried his way and had great success with it, grew my 3 biggest pumpkins that year. Before Larry told me about the way he weeds I was working my butt off weeding every year , and was probably disturbing and pulling up many roots from the pumpkin plant at the same time. So since then , any weeds close to my plant I leave... if I think I will be disturbing the roots. Larry cut my work in half for me ever since he told me about his weeding technique,,,, THANKS LARRY!,,,LOL!

5/4/2009 4:33:04 AM

Whidbey Island

Maybe just clipping them at ground level. Keeps from robbing too many nutrients but saves the root system. Sorry Brooks, looks like you are going to have to work your butt off anyway.

5/4/2009 8:21:49 AM

Macomb County

It would make sense when it comes to weeds and might be one of the reasons pruning helps. Every other secondary and so on. I'm sure there's a dozen factors invloved, you know how complex everything in Nature seems to be.

5/4/2009 2:27:52 PM

Rhode Island

weeds take up their share of nutrients you worked so hard to get into your soil.
every weed that grows takes away from the plant and fruits available resourses.
we pick the small weeds when vine buring so they dont get much of a chance to grow. (admittedly a few get missed and are bigger by seasons end)
the less weeds the better. - to insure all around health of plant, mildew spreading as well.
pap

5/5/2009 7:08:20 AM