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Springfield Il

I have a newly transplanted plant, in the ground 2 weeks. I just noticed the vine at the base is split. I have another plant in reserve still in a pot. Should I pluck this one and go with the back-up plant? Can a split vine keep going?

5/13/2010 11:13:11 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Can you post a pic of it? If it goes with the grain(same direction as the vine), it is usually less serious. If it goes against the grain(across the vine), it may still do O.K. as long as it isn't too much of a split. I had my mainvine split across the grain, just before the pumpkin I set. It split about 1/3 of the way through. It healed over and grew a wheel-shaped pumpkin around 800 lb. that split underneath.
You could plant the reserve as a backup, and see how the one with the split vine does.

5/13/2010 11:43:47 AM

Springfield Il

I have a picture but don't know how to post it. Where do I find the instructions for that?

5/13/2010 8:44:03 PM

[email protected]

make a captan bandaid and drape it across the spot. Let it heal like this and it should be fine. The cross splits are no good, but the ones that run along the vine and look like it popped a button from eating too much are no problem at all when cured like I said.

5/14/2010 10:46:53 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Rock, I also have a small split along a main vine (laid down a lil quick). Can you give details of the "Captan Bandaid"? Thanks...Peace, Wayne

5/16/2010 12:37:40 AM

Murray, KY

Yes Rocky...please tell more!

Seems I always have some problems with the busted button splits on not only pumpkins but all the melons and squash family plants. Probably half of our zucchini this year have slits right at the stump. I have assumed that it is wind damage, since I usually notice it if we have high winds during the time the vine starts putting on lots of true leaves but not laid down on the ground and started running. I've got one AG right now that I figured wouldn't survive after I found the vine at the stump split open about 4" long. The vine has now opened up and is about 2" wide and 1/2" thick, but has healed and has 4 female flowers on it.

So, not to hijack the thread, does anyone know the true cause of these linear splits in the vines?

5/18/2010 9:01:22 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

KP, I sorta think I know the cause of my minor split...main was reaching for the sky, so I put stakes on the top (x pattern), and I did not support it,(underneath) from falling too quickly!!! Silly me!!! Main vine, due to new growth laid down quickly, causing main vine split...minor tho!!! Have dusted w/ Captan, and she looks like she is still growin, Krazy!! Peace, Wayne

5/18/2010 9:44:03 PM

Murray, KY

Wayne, I've had the same problem with a secondary on our biggest and most aggrssive Pennington 1238. I started a new thread on the subject, but (in a nutshell) it has fired off an aggressive secondary that thought it was a tree. It has now fallen over and crimped itself. It hasn't split, just kinda bent over and crimped. Got any ideas what I should do with it?

5/18/2010 10:15:41 PM