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Little-TON - Colorado

Any idea how much a foamed stump may affect the final weight if any? Iz is possible that it sendZ the fruit into survival mode...??

8/2/2011 12:04:34 PM

Western NY

I'd guess a loss of 10% or so from my experience, depending on timing

8/2/2011 12:49:05 PM

Deer Park, WI

Obviously there's no black or white answer here. My presumption is that crown root contribution to growth is a function of the development of the secondary root system. I do believe that if you've done an outstanding job of burying your secondaries and promoting those secondary roots, the relative importance of the crown root system becomes increasingly less. Stories abound of very large fruit that had foaming stumps. These fruit persevere becuz the secondary system becomes the driving force of water/nutrients.

Wiz alludes to a "survival mode"...lets loosely define that as a cessation of growth due to environmental circumstances that threaten the forward momentum of the developing fruit. A foaming stump will, to varying degrees, decrease available water/nutrients to the fruit. In the absence of a secondary root system, a survival mode characterized by limited growth (pushing the pause button, if you will) will certainly ensue. However, as stated above, a robust secondary system may mean that a foamer only causes a blip in the growth pattern.

The moral of the story here- another strategy to minimizing the impact of foamers on fruit weight is to do everything you can to encourage the health of the secondary root system.

8/3/2011 9:20:24 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Thank You JoZe...great post....I am sure you will make a certain growerZ face smile once again......lol

so now on to my next question.....

8/3/2011 11:24:33 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

How bad doeZ it hurt to be beat by a stumpleZZ pumpkin?.......

8/3/2011 11:25:12 AM

Deer Park, WI

If we consider the primary root system (those directly beneath the crown) as simply the torch-bearer of the first leg of the race (seed germination to establishment of secondary vines/roots), at which point the torch is passed to the secondary system for the remainder of the season, then a beat-down by a stumpleZZ pumper is inconsequential. :) Now a beatdown by a stumpleZZ pumpkin without notable secondary system would be quite a feat. :) :)

a few more comments from the soapbox- as many of you learned in Niagara, Im a big proponent of continual vine growth throughout the season, notably in the later stages (D50 and beyond). Not only do vine tips continue to signal active growth chemicals to the entire plant, continual establishment of the secondary root system could mean the difference between 1-2lbs per day in Sept. and 10-15lbs per day steady. yes, keep burying vines in august and sept. painful, laborious, yes. Dividend reaping? yes yes.

8/3/2011 11:42:47 AM

Wi

My 1468, 1674 Marsh, 1675 Hopkins all grown on foamers. I'm not sure about Kevin's, but both Hopkins's and my pumpkins really cut back the pounds when the stump foamed. Possibly a coincidence and simply timing of the dropping growth curve, but maybe not.

I'm still a believer that the 1675 Hopkins wanted to go about 1900# or more on a healthy stump / vine.

8/3/2011 12:28:26 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

One thing I noticed iZ that the stump foamed at where the first side vines attached too...sorta of like once the stump could no longer move fluid, the fluid coming from the first sides foamed at their junctionZ too , they had to go somewhereZ......

8/3/2011 12:38:37 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

I'm with ya Joze on keeping the growth going late into the season, but my experience is that the longer the secondaries become, the more "unruly" they become and succeptibility to self-termination after a heavy rain increases. I let three sides before the fruit grow out on each side of the main before the fruit as long as they can, but a heavy rain causes them to self-terminate during peak periods of fruit growth. Now, I'm letting those hated tertiaries grow to do exactly as you say: signal the plant's active growth chemicals. With two plus months to go, ain't no sense in letting the plant begin the shut-down process.

8/3/2011 9:25:16 PM