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Huntsville Texas

My MacKinnon 162 is getting ready to start blooming female flowers, but several of the secondary vines seem just as vigorous as the main vine. they are about 10 feet long and all have equal sized unpollinated pumpkins on them. I really want to get just one biggest possible pumpkin from this, so should I remove the tips from the other secondaries; would this give more strength to the main one, or let them all set and see which seems strongest. It seems that diverting more resources to only one vine while the pumpkin is as small as possible would give it the best chance, but I am just guessing. My daughter really wants to try for a record, and the vine is the largest, most vigorous one I have ever grown, but I am unsure how to proceed to give it the best chance. advice, please? I could furnish pictures of the vine if that would help. Thanks!

5/15/2012 1:09:34 AM

Huntsville Texas

The main vine as well as all the secondaries are rooted at every joint. would growing more than one seriously reduce the size of the largest?

5/15/2012 1:12:05 AM

East Jordan, MI

Try for one on the main, it will grow the biggest overall. And only one per plat after you choose "the one" I've heard people say the ones on secondaries grow faster at first, but then tend to fall off and not keep up. That said, I usually pollinate several and cull after I know the one that I want on the main is not going to abort (at least 10 days, growing well and shiny fruit) because if you start culling early you might have problems getting one set until late -- especially due to heat. A set pumpkin in late Jun orearly Jul will almost assuredly be better thana set pumkin in late Jul or early Aug.

Good luck

5/15/2012 1:50:08 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I think field pumpkins are a little different, They tend to be more able to support a couple fruit, and the pumpkins tend to want to come on the secondaries. I also think they split easier.

5/15/2012 7:10:14 AM

East Jordan, MI

oops, yeah I don't know about field pumpkins -- sorry. guess I shoulda read the title (and let it sink in) instead of just the post.

5/15/2012 8:35:15 AM