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Fairport,NY

Hello, just wondering how many pumkins over 1000lbs have been grown off of pumpkins set on a secondary that was trained as the "new" mainvine after the original Mainvine broke on them?
My 1408.5 Daletas was doing really well out to about 10ft with a female showing at the end when disater struke and from unknown reason, other than too much rain to soon followed by a sunny day caused it to explode at the slight bend before tochdown point at 9ft:( Gonna go with the closest best secondary and train as the new main?what else can I do?

6/20/2009 12:47:47 PM

Bemidji Minnesota

Happens all the time.

There are actually a very high amount of Pumpkins grown over 1000 pounds on secondary vines.
Think of the vine as a vascular system, almost like a garden hose pushing nutrients from one end to the other.

More liquid moves in from the secondary roots too, and nutrients are coming in from all over the place.
Even if you lose that main growing tip, you still got all those nutrients pushing.

When you turn a secondary into a main, you let what would have been teteriary vines on that secondary (now the main) become “secondaries” off of that vine.

Then proceed as normal. With a 10 foot plant already you got a lot of nutrients pushing. They got to go somewhere.

I think if there were any way to substantiate the ultimate loss in total fruit size by having to use a secondary, it would be within 5% of the original possible size. For all I know 0% would be lost. Maybe just takes a week longer to get your first fruit set, as the female was on that growing tip you lost, but there will be more plant overall to feed it when it grows.

6/20/2009 1:36:23 PM

Mercersburg, PA

i had the same thing happen at about 7 feet out and i will now have to train the secondary to be the main. I guess you just use the furthest secondary out to train as the main, right?

6/20/2009 1:56:43 PM

Denver, CO

If you have the option, look for secondaries that seem to have more vigor to them. On my plant, I have two or three that are growing much faster then others, aleady trying to put a pumpkin on them.

I would choose one of these if somthing was to happen to my tip. Ideally, they would be close to the end of the main, but a few feet here or there is Ok.

6/20/2009 2:26:02 PM

Sheridan . NY

Last year Dr bob 1353----

6/20/2009 6:46:01 PM

Ohio

on one of my 985 plants a piece of hail couldn't have hit my main vine any more perfect making it look like someone shot it with a 22 cal, but lucky for me I have a pumpkin at roughly the 9 ft mark. Not as far out as I would like, but I'm going to try and go with it, and grow as much plant before that pumpkin as possible.( grow as many vines as I can off my secondaries).

6/20/2009 7:02:58 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Sure, blame it on the hail Brooks.

6/20/2009 8:12:19 PM

Joliet, IL

happened to me this week and one foot in front of a prime 13' female. it sucks, but nothing you can do about it. get pissed and take it as a challenge. do like the others have said above and move on. this is the time of year that can make and break growers. do not let a set back get the best of you. there is high heat and aborted females, cracked stem possiblitites, blossum end splits and all kinds of things that can and will go wrong all season long... let alone mother nature with bugs, storms and critters and such. this is the time when a set back occurs and "quit" runs around your brain and "why do i do this silly "f"ing hobby?" do not worry. it is natural and we all have to quell these thoughts fast and furious. i recommend a lot of cold beer after each frustration occurs. some lean on God. do what ever it takes, but do not lose focus. take it on the chin and come back fighting.

6/20/2009 9:35:47 PM

[email protected]

Chin up Bumkin. Some great fruit have been grown up your way on plants that were once thought finished. Treat it well & grow on.

6/20/2009 9:36:33 PM

canal winchester ohio

Craig's right about Dr. Bob. He was hit hard by hail & rebounded with a monster.

6/20/2009 10:06:37 PM

Fairport,NY

Thats why I love this hobby the great growers out their nad on this website really make the Hobby rewarding!!!Thank You all for the encouragement!!!GAME ON!!!!!!

6/21/2009 5:05:15 PM

Wi

Dave my 1160 main is a tertiary. At this point I'd be surprised if it doesn't do pretty well.

6/21/2009 6:39:42 PM

Leicester, NY

Dave, don’t worry, be happy and let that secondary take over. At this point in the season, I doubt it will even skip a beat. Very soon, perhaps by next weekend, that secondary is going to look and be acting just like the main.

6/21/2009 9:20:48 PM

Ontario

Lost the main here on my 500 Northrup at about 9 ft here last Thursday Dave....my mentour, Phil Hunt also said not to worry......it sucks....but I am still going to grow a monster on that plant as it is in great shape...think positive...good luck.

6/22/2009 7:42:19 AM

Middleton, WI

Dave,

Our 1362 from 2007 was grown on a secondary trained to take the lead after we last the tip of the primary vine. You should be fine. Best wishes, George

6/23/2009 10:45:07 AM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Go Dave Go!

6/23/2009 1:36:09 PM