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Abbotsford, B.C

I have two pumpkins on this one plant, the 876 Mombert, one taping at 290 OTT (503 lbs estimate) about 6 feet from the base of the plant on a very strong secondary (I must actually admit that this particular vine was a double vine that set a fruit before the double vining got worse towards the end of the vine before I lopped the end off) and is growing about 10 to 15 lbs per day currently. The other pumpkin is about 13 feet on the main vine and has an OTT of 272 inches (417 lbs estimate) and is growing about 13 lbs per day, or about the same as the other pumpkin. What my question is, will cutting off this main vine pumpkin increase weight gains to a measurable degree on the remaining pumpkin? If I could just pick up the weight gains a bit on the 500 lb pumpkin I have a chance that I just might hit 1000, and I would love to do anything to increase my chances of hitting that number. As is right now, the pumpkin is headed for about a 900 lb end weight. Will cutting off the other pumpkin make much of a difference? Also, if I were to cut it off, how would I do it so that there is not a jump in weight gains on the remaining pumpkin? Would like very much to know this, hope someone can give some good advice here,

Cameron

8/22/2005 2:13:32 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Cameron, I would have a hard time culling a 400 lb pumpkin this late in the season when your weight gains are naturally going to go down anyways. The plant can only sustain maximum growth for a period of time and that period might be expired for you.

There are many growers who have had 2 very large fruit on a single plant and not many that I've known that would cull so late in the game.

Hope others chime in as I'd be interested in what they think. What age are the fruit, that may help with answers from others.

Looking forward to seeing you at a local weigh-off or 2, the North Shore Boyz group will be chasing you!!

Glenn

8/22/2005 2:42:06 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

You may not need to cull either of the fruit.

On the GVGO patch tour, I noticed that Russ Landry (kahuna3) had purposely severed the vine on one of his plants. He did it in such a way as to allow two fruit to keep growing. I guess one of them would get less water and nutrition from the plant. But, it looks like this method allowed both pumpkins to survive on tap roots.

You'd have to ask him about how to determine where to cut the vine.

8/22/2005 3:14:55 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Cut the secondary right at the main...This is what we do when we want one for genetics. Problem solved

8/22/2005 3:39:55 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

I haven't noticed any increase in weight gain when I did this in the past.

8/22/2005 4:34:49 PM

Abbotsford, B.C

The pumpkin on the secondary was open pollinated after July 1st and before July 5, I'm afraid I was away on a trip then, so I am not sure of the exact date. That would make it, lets see, about 50 days old. The other pumpkin was pollinated a bit later, I'd have to check my records to remember exactly, but I think it was about the 12th of July or so. That would make it between 35 and 45 days old, probably about 40. And Linus, you've got the problem backwards; it's the larger pumpkin on the secondary that I am wanting to keep, not cut it off. Want I want to know is will cutting off the main vine pumpkin, the smaller one, make an appreciable increase in weight gains of the larger, remaining pumpkin, than if it is left on.

Cameron

8/22/2005 4:59:53 PM