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Midway, UT

Every year I double plant in the same planting spot and then after a couple of weeks I take out the plant that I don't want to grow. Sometimes its hard to decide so you just roll the dice and make a decision. This year I have two plants in the one spot that are from the 1451 Scherber seed. Both plants look healthy and it is kind of a roll of the dice situation. The only significant difference between the two plants is that one has droopy leaves when it gets warmer or sunnier. The droopy leaf plant has started to take off a little more lately. Has anyone ever noticed a correlation between droopy leaves and the ability to grow big? My gut says that if a plant doesn't have the ability to move water to keep the leaves stiff then maybe it doesn't have the ability to move water to grow a pumpkin but that might not be true. What does your experience tell you? Have you grown a giant on a "droopy leaf" plant?

5/16/2012 12:28:45 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Jamie,

My 1725 was that way last year...It really had a droopy leaf issue every time that sun came out. Even burned as I couldnt keep it upright and didnt react with water like the others would. I Didnt like the weight on it either, wnet light...as you said...couldnt move fluids like it should. It was my fastest grower too....but way different plant than CoJoes 1725. Its locked in the genetics I think.

5/16/2012 12:41:35 PM

Joliet, IL

My 991 that grew my 1493 was that way from the bigging. Burnt flagging leaves right out of the gate when the other keeper 4 feet away growing the opposite way handled the heat way better. The one that handled it better grew 1209 and was 20 percent heavy. My 991 went right to the chart. Sorry to make the decision harder, but make sure to check the bases of the plants by scratching away some soil before making the culling decision. I had a below surface split in the stem and used this as my reason to cull a plant 3 days ago ev en though the split base plant was a better grower early on. Always tough, but once you make the call, it is over....no second guessing and making yourself nuts. Or in my case more nuts than I already am. Best of luck.

5/16/2012 12:50:47 PM

Joliet, IL

From the beginning that is

5/16/2012 12:51:20 PM

Central Minnesota

I am no expert on this but I have this issue every year with most of my plants. Over time they seem handle the sun better it seems but ealy season means lots of new growth and plants may not be ready to handle the extreme heat and sun yet. It seems that as these plants spend more time outside they adjust to the intense sun. I just use shading for the plants that need it until they are ready to go it without. As the plant gets a bigger root system this usually isn't an issue for me.

5/16/2012 1:40:28 PM

Wi

My 1421 in 2010 was a burner.

If the sun was out it was frying leaves. If I recall correctly every single leaf on the first 3 sidevines (each side) was burned. So with that and the hail damage to 150 sqft of plant it wasn't pretty.

That plant was my #3 at 1468. The 1161 was my best that year for burn resistance (1810) and the 1140 was #2 (1561).

5/16/2012 2:27:07 PM

Valencia Spain

whats the genetics of the 1561 and also want to know genetics of 1441? gansert

5/16/2012 2:34:08 PM

Minnesota

1441Gansert (1287Gansert x 1059Vincent-Mcgill)
1561Stevens (1140Stevens X 1288Wallace)
Info from aggc.org

5/16/2012 4:30:40 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Actually Jamie, I would pull both of thoZe Scherber plantZ now to save yourself time.....and disapointment..... :)

5/16/2012 4:50:58 PM

Colorado

Fast growers and dark green leafed plants seem to burn easier.Some plants are just candyasses.When i look friday I'll guesstimate which seems to look more like mom or dad.

5/16/2012 6:36:13 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Interesting Wiz on how the 1725's varied. I have been anticipating growing my 525 all Winter and have over 300 seeds left. I chose one, the wrong one, and it's a double. The actual leaves are short and perky in the sun just like it's 1059 mother. Just wish I would have chose 1 of the other 299 or had 299 back ups.

5/16/2012 7:13:05 PM

milford, CT,

This might help... I have had that problem in the past...I set up a mini hoop of agribon 19..10% shade cloth...over my seedlings inside the hoop...very little flagging this year..

5/16/2012 9:04:52 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I find it only happens with some plants when they are first starting to vine out...once they root in at other spots, they seem to toughen up and not go wimpy or wilty during the heat of the day.

Very often I've needed to use umbrellas for shade inside the hoophouses...not this year with the 1161 Rodonis but the 1725 is a bit sun sensitive...good plan with the shade cloth!

5/17/2012 12:45:31 AM

Ohio

I learned from talking to Todd Skinner that ALOT of nitrogen in the soil also causes leaves to flag and get burnt really easy. Todd uses a shit load of Nitrogen to get his plants started and ''every'' single plant he has had (for years)flags really bad and has to shaded, if not his plants will be crispy burnt toast in just a short few hours .

For me, Last 2 or 3 years years , especially last year my nitrogen was almost Nil in my soil, I have never had to shade any of my plants from flagging, not even a inch of the growing tips on the main vines or secondary vines.

Whats every ones nitrogen readings?

5/17/2012 7:35:06 AM

Rhode Island

some seed stocks do produce plants that wilt more readly than others for sure.but, as chris mentioned they can still produce a very large pumpkin.
if i had a choice though between two good seed stocks in one spot? one wilts easily and the other does not? snd both sre growing reasonably well?, id ace the plant with the wilting condition.
one less problem to deal with.the stress from wilting can not be a good thing.

5/17/2012 8:17:21 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Pap agreed completely, BrookZie....My N at Jareds needZ bumping, I get the same report every year....add poundZ per Acre N....I have been going slow... Need to add more chicken poop...there. A good way to tell if too much N...the weedZ flag too...lol

CoJoe's 1725 and mine were two different plantZ...the fruit said it all, come to think of it..it didnt have too many femaleZ either...didnt root well, flagged....all makeZ sense now....

Jamie...kidding aside...I am waiting to see what that Scherber cross doeZ this year....CuZ I still got my 1810 crossed with it...lol shssssh It'Z my best plant this year!

5/17/2012 9:52:04 AM

Joliet, IL

Joe is on to something I never realized. The 991 had that emarld green dark beautiful color. The plant that grew the 1209 was a paler green. No difference in nutrients cuz these plants were back to back. If Joe has seen this and now I realize this from experience, if you have the darker emrald leaves and its not cuz excess nitrogen, get ready to baby it before the first true intense low n.e. wind high uv low humidity hot cooker days that I have found are the hardest on small or large plants. And water heavily prior to those days as they are predicted.

5/17/2012 11:20:39 AM