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Eastern Washington State

Hi all,

So the main vine on my best pumpkin ever has split in half right at the stem.

I have relieved the pressure by terminating the main after the pumpkin (shouda done that earlier, doh).

I'm not sure what to do now. Seems like something should be done. I obviously don't know what to do and would like opinions from you more experienced growers.

Here are a few ideas I'm thinking about:

1. tape the few inches of the split main vine closed, (try to just close it up)

2. tape around the main just past the split (to prevent it from getting any longer).

3. leave it alone.

4. Insert your better idea here. Please keep in mind that it is very dry where I live so rot isn't much of an issue. Also I don't have any fungicide powder or anything like that to treat the wound.

5. go have several beers since I'm out of luck no matter what I do.


Thanks to anyone who takes time to reply.

Brian

9/1/2011 1:20:13 PM

?

brian,, you need to put sulfur or captan on it(sulfur works better). then put a fan on it, then wait for more replies..

Vince

9/1/2011 1:29:05 PM

Colorado

yep you solved the problem by cutting the downstream vine. keep it dry.if you tape or bind the split it may rot there. the pumpkin will grow if any of the 5 vine tubules are hooked up(dont know what you call the 5 straws-tube structures in the vine)

9/1/2011 1:52:15 PM

Eastern Washington State

Thanks both of you.

Seems reasonable to keep it dry and let it all just scab over if it can. Don't have sulfur but have ordered it and they'll get it in tomorrow. On the plus side the humidity is around 30% with light wind so it should dry out nicely this afternoon. It will probably ooze more tonight when the temps drop down into the 40's and the humidity climbs to 60%, so I'll definitely add the sulfur when it arrives.

cojoe I reckon that unless it rots the vine will still have half of its plumbing lines left. I think they're called 'vasuclar bundles'.

9/1/2011 3:44:07 PM

Colorado

I have a friend who has his pumpkin attached to two out of the five VB's.His ripped the vine around day 45ish and its still growing though it probably lost some potential gains.

9/1/2011 5:45:14 PM

West Sacramento Ca.

Just relieve pressure and let er grow! My 1610 got split way back due to nephew attack! Just kidding it was an accident but that pumpkin just keeps growing.

9/1/2011 9:33:32 PM

Coventry R.I.

Funny you say that scott,, my 1610 Stem got hit with a soccer ball. top half of Stem crack open,, bottom half wasn,t affected,,, still growing I have the stem tide up with wire.Brain I used 1 time for a break in main a silver clamp 1 inch,, it worked,, But got to watch the vine getting bigger,, and lossen as needed.

9/3/2011 8:46:01 PM

Eastern Washington State

I've dusted on a little sulfur powder and just left it alone. So far so good!

9/6/2011 3:23:51 PM