From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ottawa, Canada

Should I be pruning females growing near the stump? I have a nice fat one 1.5' away from the stump. My vine has just started growing and is approx. 2' long.

6/14/2010 12:42:03 PM

Nova Scotia

it will never get really big as it will slow the plant from growing and you don't have enough plant to support a fast growing pumpkin

6/14/2010 12:46:42 PM

Ottawa, Canada

So you're telling me I should cut it off?

6/14/2010 12:47:53 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Yes

6/14/2010 1:09:01 PM

New York

Are you sure they're actually females? I've never heard of a pumpkin growing less than 2' from the stump.

6/14/2010 2:07:33 PM

Nova Scotia

I had one once. It is usually (not alway's) a sign of plant stress

6/14/2010 2:33:22 PM

ordinary,VA

I have one 7.5 ft away from the stump..she has to go... to close.
yes cut her off frogman97

6/14/2010 4:59:11 PM

Ottawa, Canada

My plant was stressed originally (it spent it's infancy growing in a pot, hearing my gf complain about it day in and day out :)). Took forever to start growing (after I planted it in the patch) and was sprouting flowers everywhere. It's since turned the corner and started growing like mad. The main grew 8" yesterday, which is impressive considering it's only 2' long. Two laterals have also started growing. Do you guys trim off the spirally things (forgive my ignorance of the real term) growing off the vines?

6/14/2010 5:07:18 PM

[email protected]

Stumps are what's left when a tree's been cut down.

The basal crown is best kept clean. Once to have a primary set, extra flowers attract pests and sap energy from the chosen one.

6/14/2010 7:50:23 PM

Navarre,OH

I dont trim tendrils off unless they start grabbing ahold of something their not suppose to lol

6/14/2010 7:50:35 PM

Jefferson Me

Yes cut off the tendrels they are a waist of energy! Get them trimmed off when they are small and let the energy and growth go to vining.

6/14/2010 9:39:35 PM

Nova Scotia

as you can see tendrils is a personnal choice ;)

6/15/2010 10:02:41 AM

Las Cruces NM

Isn't everything is a personal choice? But as Tremor points out, why waste any energy that can be going into viable growth? And trendrils can attach to leaves causing damage -- not much else to attact too. I'm not sure if everyone is aware but it is said the color orange that attracts SVB. To answer the original question, you want your pumpkin at least 10 feet out so cull it.

6/15/2010 11:13:17 PM

Nova Scotia

I think it's personnal as yes you save some energy. But very little as the plant bleeds at each cut or prune and there is an extra point were desiese could set in. So I think it's a 50/50 point.

6/16/2010 10:09:03 AM