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NILES , CALIF

Is there a real big gain in weight for the pumpkin if you keep the main on past the pumpkin vs cutting it, right at the pumpkin?
Is there a growth percentage or lose??

7/4/2013 4:10:36 PM

Colorado

I like letting the main go till mid august. Does it help or hurt? good question

7/4/2013 5:50:46 PM

Western NY

Try this link, it might help.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=312880

7/4/2013 5:59:06 PM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

Many will disagree but, I always figure the plants purpose is to produce as many offspring as possible. When we cut all the other kins off but one, the stem carries on trying to produce another kin. There fore i'm not sure if any vines beyond the chosen one feed back to your big kin. I just think it is expanding out for the sole purpose of producing another fruit which would take away from your chosen one. This all sounds like quite a theory so I would love to here from any one with some science on this!!!!
ps you can call me crazy (this is quite a statement based only on opinion)
I can take the critisisim!!!!!!!!

7/4/2013 8:57:05 PM

Wi

I had my fasted grower that ever made a scale on a main terminated at the pumpkin.

7/4/2013 9:38:20 PM

Slate River,Ont. Canada

Had alot of thought about this myself.I see alot of grower cut off at their keeper and that is it.Scratch my head...Maybe right.I don't think main turns into a reverse plant and feeds everything back to kin,but still needs a release.
Setting all secondaries at 12' this year and main will be cut about same.All secondaries will be stopped at this time.
Got me thinking to terminate one at kin though. lol
Like to hear more opinions about this.
Got me thinking

7/4/2013 10:30:47 PM

Torrance, Ca.

How far out were your secondaries growing Chris and when did you terminate them?

7/4/2013 10:36:29 PM

BC, Canada

The leaves produce sugars by photosynthesis. The more leaves, the more sugars. The phloem transports these sugars up AND down the stem. These sugars are used by the plant to make new plant parts like roots and fruit (pumpkins).
So, I would think that the more leaves you have the more chance you have of getting more food to your kin. The only drawback might be the transport of calcium past the fruit to the leaves in hot or dry spells lending to the issue of BES. ? thoughts?
Also, we know that photosynthesis stops when the leaves are dry, so I like the idea of new smaller leaves that are being partially shaded by The big leaves to keep the manufacture of sugars going.
If all fruit are removed on the vine past the chosen flower I think that extra vine could only help, I can't see why it would hurt, especially if the end of it is rooted and can then suck up some nutes and h2o.
Just my musings, since I've yet to grow anything to huge.

7/5/2013 2:09:37 AM

Central Minnesota

I prefer to keep the main growing. Usually when the pumpkin starts growing rapidly the main slows down considerably. The reason I keep it going is because I think those new leaves help late season growth. I don't usually grow many secondaries after the pumpkin but I do like to keep the main going. Last year I terminated a few mains in early September to get some additional growth. Jury is still out if it worked.

7/5/2013 9:28:46 AM

Wi

Some secondaries probably close to 30'. Terminated everything late july.

7/5/2013 9:31:20 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Thanks Chris...that is good information to know. I've grown my largest pumpkins on terminated vines also, and let my secondaries grow longer than "normal"

I also heard that it was and still is, common practice for alot of successful growers and members of the heavy hitters community to terminate vines at the chosen pumpkin.

7/5/2013 10:50:00 AM

Muddy Waters

So you guys, Chris? You let the secondary's continue to grow till the end of July? If I terminated my main at 13 feet.I would have to let the secondarys spider grow past the fruit to fill the empty footage I need.Would that be better? then all the plant would be in front of the kin.instead of past the kin.Correct??

7/5/2013 5:48:12 PM

Central NY

....sooooo....out of us newer growers, who's cutting theirs first?....

7/5/2013 6:55:18 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Good stuff Chris and Glenn,,, thanks!

7/5/2013 7:13:29 PM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

Make sure your chosen one is absolutely a keeper before you cut the chord. Other wise it is a gaurenteed secondary kin left to count on!!!!!

7/5/2013 9:43:53 PM

Ontario, Canada.

"The only drawback might be the transport of calcium past the fruit to the leaves in hot or dry spells lending to the issue of BES. ? thoughts? "

AH ha, now there's some thinking on sink source relationships. Ca is transported to the plants actively growing sinks, be they fruit sink (FS) or meristems makes no difference. So in theory a vine growing downriver of the FS will attract more Ca up the xylem (Calcium Highway. This should offer some form of protection against BES.

The phloem does not transport Ca. except in the case of heat injury's to the leaves. There is some research that indicates heat damaged leaves redistribute Ca, B along with other micro's and compounds into the plants two rivers.

Growers should be more concerned IMHO with the primary development of a very vigorous FS with an strong vascular system. Building a better pathway into the peduncle of the FS is much more important than the position or distance from the source. This will allow for adequate flow into and out of the FS. The most critical time for the fruit is in early stages of development when the budding fruit develops its internal distribution network of cell pathways within the peduncle (handle) called vacuoles. At this stage of development adequate tributaries for distribution of xylem flow into the fruit is of critical importance.

Research of tomato plants grown at low water availability in the root environment had xylem with higher resistance and reduced pathways leading into the peduncle segment of the fruit. The theory has lead to the assumption that young developing fruit deprived of Ca during rapid growth are left crippled with reduced xylem flow and limited calcium and nutrient importation abilities. This translates into deformation of the rivers that transport calcium into the fruit and this condition is stated to persist into the fruits maturity.

A Trip Down The Calcium Highway

A GUIDE TO THE PREVENTION OF BES

7/6/2013 7:23:03 AM

Ohio

Russ, as always.. Great info!

7/6/2013 9:16:27 AM