From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Fairfield,ct.

how many feet past my keeper pumpkin do i terminate the main?do i bury it after i terminate it?thanks.

5/24/2010 1:13:17 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I terminate my mains right after the pumpkin stem if there is any sign of stress whatsoever. Provided your pumpkin is far enough out to have a big plant grow in behind it, with wide room for secondaries. I grew last year's 1200 est and also my 923 this way. The main never seems to grow much past the fruit for me anyways.

5/24/2010 1:44:23 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I terminate main only if I have to; for stem stress or clearance issues only.

One I did last year for clearance right at the fruit stem, I took out four feet of the main past the fruit and left the rest. It set a fruit and gave me a 350# (est)halloween pumpkin on what was left.... (1026 Young, heckuva plant)

5/24/2010 2:04:56 PM

Griffith, In

Make sure your pumpkin isn't going to abort before you start terminating mains,,,I let mine grow to end of patch, then let it curve along edge until i have no space left for growing it. There seem to be different strategies for how far to let the main grow, have heard of terminating it just past pumpkin, or letting it go after with secondaries, or letting just main go after fruit, but pruning secondaries.

5/24/2010 11:33:52 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

i should have added, that the pumpkins are usually over 300 or 400 lbs when i terminate the main at the pumpkin.

5/25/2010 10:47:56 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

roger, from what I am reading...MAKE SURE you have a grower, b/4 terminating main!!! Termination, immediately past pkn set, I don't think is done in the first few days after 1st pollination!!!

5/26/2010 12:09:21 AM