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Subject:  Can Main Vine be Terminated Just Past Set

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Princeton Joe

Princeton Kentucky

I've got a very nice kin set on a 1365 Singleton with a little over 900 sq ft of foliage behind it. Problem is the 6" Stem is wanting to grow back parellel with the main vine and at 7 DAP the Pumpkin is already against the Main. There is about 6 ft more main out in front...Can I just Terminate the main just past the Pumpkins Stem and will it still have a chance to go BIG. This Pumkin is growing Very Fast and appears to have some great promise.....What says You Please..

6/24/2012 6:21:03 PM

MR. T. (team T)

Nova Scotia

cut the vine and you still have tonnes of plant to get a biggy. others have done it although not as popular as keeping the main vine. but you have to do what you have to do

6/24/2012 6:35:49 PM

Marvin11

Joe Jutras cut his main right after the pumpkin on his 1507 in 2008 if I am correct. He ran a few secondaries past the pumpkin and it worked well for him. I know of other people who have done similar things and they have had good results. They followed a type of pitchfork design where they either had secondaries grow past the pumpkin or had third stage growth grow past the pumpkin also in a pitchfork design. Good luck!

Martin

Martin

6/24/2012 7:05:27 PM

Princeton Joe

Princeton Kentucky

Sounds good Mr. T and Martin. You can darn near watch this thing grow in size its doin so well. I'll cut the vine and put grafting sav on it. Thanks alot again for the advice.

6/24/2012 7:51:47 PM

Smallmouth

Upa Creek, MO

I think it was Pap who recommends it to newer growers rather than adjusting the pumkin and risk snapping the stem. It makes it really easy to raise the vine as it grows, and is fairly common practice. Glad you enjoyed Lone Elk Park too.

6/24/2012 8:46:24 PM

pap

Rhode Island

joseph

picture a long handled pitch fork.

the handle being the main vine with your present sides growing off it.

the pumpkin is in place of the center blade of the pitch fork ( yes you cut the main just at the point after it passes the pumpkins stem)

then if you have not already dead headed all the sides before the pumpkin? take those last three to four side vines(each side ) before the fruit and train them to grow out and around the pumpkin.-run them to the edge of the patch.

if you already have 900 sq ft of plant (before the pumpkin )them this last step in the pitchfork pattern may not even be necessary.

pap

6/24/2012 9:39:40 PM

Jed

Frankfort Ohio

i have done it just make sure it is going set i like to wait till day 10 or so to cut the main just my thoughts

6/24/2012 9:41:34 PM

pap

Rhode Island

even longer than ten days. id wait until the fruit is at least 100 pounds (to be safe )

6/25/2012 6:35:46 AM

Tim Pennington (Uncle Dunkel)

Corbin, KY

I grew a 1238 and a 1094 from vines terminated past the fruit. It did away with my tight vine issues.

6/25/2012 9:49:05 AM

Princeton Joe

Princeton Kentucky

Thanks again for everyones input on this situation. I posted a pic on my diary to show what I ended up doing. I have adjusted pumpkins in the past yrs even field pumpkins over 20 yrs ago but I mean to tell you the stem is thicker than the main and the main at this area is 4 1/2" Circ....No Kidding. It would have takin 2 months to get this thing to turn and maybe I should have said all that up front..the picture does no justice of the real size this thing is. I cut the main and the secondary just before the Kin....It put nearly 3" on over night. Yes pap I know what you mean about the pitch fork design but ma this stem is freakin thick. I'll also post some pics of the stump on this bad girl....crazy big at this time of year. I'll put something in the photo to show comparison also with the stem on the kin. Sorry if I made some of you cringe by cutting the main. Thanks again All...your a Good Group of People and hope my daughter and I get to meet some of you one day and Thank you personaly for your help and Advice. This situation reminds me what my Grand Dad south of Hannible Missouri used to say..."It's tuff to get a silk purse out of a sows ear".lol

6/25/2012 10:38:46 AM

Jeremy Robinson

Buffalo, New York

i would be afraid terminating the main after just day 10

6/25/2012 11:19:34 AM

Princeton Joe

Princeton Kentucky

Pumpkin is doin Great at this point. Growin Fast..I also have 4 secondaries that have not been terminated yet so that should help with growth per what Mr. Jutras and others have done when they have terminated mains so I have been told.

6/26/2012 12:46:25 PM

Josh Scherer

Piqua, Ohio

I've grown a 982,1020,and 1123 using this method with around 500 sq ft of plant.

6/27/2012 9:28:07 PM

Total Posts: 13 Current Server Time: 1/18/2026 1:17:06 PM
 
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