From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Winston Salem, NC

I think I heard someone coin the term "budding out" the other day. What is the reason for this occurrence showing a head full of buds and no more leaf or vine development? Most of the vines have been close to termination time anyway.
My theories are: 1. Fruit acting as a sink is sucking nutrients away and this is stunting new vegetative growth in places.
2. Some of the secondaries are very long and perhaps the length doesn't want to support vegetative growth any further?
3. Could it be a local hot spot of ferts or a local ph difference?

8/13/2013 9:53:22 AM

Central Minnesota

Usually it is #1

8/13/2013 10:51:21 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

This year, I had one plant shut down secondary growth right at pollination time. 2 pumpkins pollinated on the main vine, I chose the first pollinated one and prayed that the growth would restart.

I let a few of the secondary buds stay on but everything looked stunted, and all growth except 1 vine before the pumpkin quite growing. Now that the fruit is at day 40 and settled into a modest pace, the plant is growing again but only on vines after the pumpkin.

Long winded...I think theory #1.

8/13/2013 11:06:15 AM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

In my experience, lack of Nitrogen causes it, for what ever reason, the N could have leached, Ph may be low, or the N has just been use up.

8/13/2013 11:19:32 AM

Nottingham, UK

Mine is sitting comfortably at 20lbs a day and the 5-6 vine tips that have not been pinched off have kind of ground to a halt.

I'd like to think option 1. However, if it is lack of N then that's just fine isn't it since all the growth is concentrated on fruit growth. If so N could be applied say a week before new growth was wanted?

8/13/2013 11:45:57 AM