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Canada

Well My fruit continues to grow well, even though nights are cooler and days are shorter, I was out in the patch today and thinking if it would help any if I cut back my main vine and secondarys after the fruit so more growth would go to the fruit?

I currently have 22 ft of growth from stump out to were the fruit is located with about 10 feet of good leafs with 2 sets of secondarys, After the fruit I have 25 ft of main vine with tons of secondarys, I was thinking of cleaning the area up a tad by removeing the last 15 ft of main vine and secondarys so there would only be 15 ft of main with 2 sets of secondarys past it?

would this be of any benefit or could it slow the growth down?

thanks
Dave

also is it just me or does everyone else find that the fruit still grow well with warm days and lower then normal night time temps?

9/3/2005 10:41:18 PM

Montoursville, PA

I would do what you are thinking may help on one plant. I have advised others locally to do just that. Late season growth continues at a slower and slower pace. At the very end of last year's records I have recorded as low as three pounds by OTT measurement during the last week in September.

There are many who think weight is still being added inside the pumpkin even if no or little growth shows up on the tale of the tape. If your vines are still in good health there will be something going on untill the moment you harvest the pumpkin. I feel so strongly about this that if I had a possible record fruit I would do the dastardly act, of harvesting, just hours before the trip, to the weigh off.

Dehydration begins the moment you harvest it. Shrink wrapping it, for a trip, to the weigh off would again make sense if it were a possible record fruit.

9/4/2005 10:19:21 AM

Canada

Thanks, Ya i left all the growth from the stump out to the fruit and I cut back 15 ft of main past the fruit along with 2 secondarys as they kept growing new shoots and takeing off like crazy. I'm now left with 22 ft before the fruit and 15 past the fruit. It seemed like allot to cut out, But it sure did clean up the yuard nicely, allot eaiser to work with the plant and fruit.

This evening I'll give the plant a good deep drenching with the soaker hose.

Dave

9/4/2005 2:12:18 PM