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Denver, CO

Just wondering about everyone else's way of thinking when it comes to back-up plants?

Say you have space to grow just 2 plants.

You have 4 top seeds of choice, 4 secondary seeds of choice.

Do you plant all 4 top seeds as primaries, then 4 back-ups from the rest? I hate to throw away a good plant I couldn't use if it germinated fine. You can plant 2 top seeds and 2 secondary ones. But then if one or both of the top seeds don't germinate you are now planting with a plants that aren't the best ones you could have had?

What is eveyone else's stratagies?

4/27/2006 3:52:12 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

I personally hate to waste a priority seed/plant. I would plant two top choice seeds, and two secondary choice seeds. If you do end up having to rely on a secondary choice, it could do better than a top choice seed, you never know. You could pick secondary plants by judging what may best fit your crossing plans.
Or you could plant three top choice, and one secondary choice.
Good question. Just my opinion of course.

4/27/2006 4:23:36 PM

Follansbee, Wv

This is only my second year, but I am only planting the primary line-up. If one fails to germ, I will start a back-up. The few days lost won't make any difference in the long run. If I loose one a week into the season, I'll start a back-up. Again, a week or two won't matter much. If I loose a primary more than two weeks into the season, I'll just have one less plant to tend. Good seeds are hard to come by sometimes. I would hate to waste any of them.

4/27/2006 5:16:21 PM

Norton, MA

Monty has my exact same opinion. A good friend of mine started his a week later than me, mine had heat cables and outgrew his early, his beat mine by two weeks to around the first secondary at 10'. At fruit set we had equal areas. Of course, his pumpkin outgrew mine, but that's not the point! If you're using a good method, you shouldn't look at loosing one as an option. If it happens, start another. AleX Noel.

4/27/2006 5:22:46 PM

San Diego

any experienced grower will tell you that "strange" things happen with these plants. It is not so much about germination, it is what happens in the first 6 to 7 weeks of plant growth! Always have atleast 2 plants growing as long as possible before culling to one, most of the years I have grown, one of the plants mutates, stops growing, is deformed severely in some way, or gets killed due to an accident or nature problem (rodent, gohper, rabbit, etc). So if you just plant one and disaster strikes a month into the season, you are way late to restart! They are only seeds and meant to be used. Start 2 very good seeds and cull to one for each plant you intend to grow. It's a long time until next spring to start your other good seed. Just my opinion. Jimmy

4/27/2006 5:36:03 PM

[email protected]

The only seeds I would consider starting as backups at the same time as my primary seeds would be my own. And then I'd only start them at that time if I had a bunch of them.

4/27/2006 5:38:10 PM

San Diego

forgot to mention one other criteria, how many plants you grow. I only grow one, so I take pre-cautions, but if you grow 10 or more, then it's not as big of a deal if you loose a couple plants.

4/27/2006 5:41:07 PM

Ontario

Start your two good seeds, if they germinate start your backups about a week later. Plant both in each hill and make your selection about a month later. If the good seeds don't germinate start your other good seeds at the same time as your back up. I usually only plant one per hill, only once out of 8 years growing did I have a spilt vine and chose one and was growing as good as any pumpkin I have grown before until she split at 992 pounds.
\
drew

4/27/2006 6:49:15 PM

Long Island,New York

There are too many good seeds out there to worry about wasting a seed.I like to use my favorite home-growns as backups and I start backups every week until mid june

4/27/2006 8:47:41 PM

the only time you need worry about seeds is if they cost alot

4/27/2006 9:37:02 PM

Chico, Ca

We grow three main plants and three or four back-ups /
pollinators. we plant the mains in the best spots and plant the BU/P in the opposite corners growing toward the mains... that way if a main selection croaks you train the back up to take its place. I like the BU/P plan so you always have males at pollination time. After you pollinate you can rip out the back ups with no harm to your main plants.


Plant your best few as mains and your second best as back ups. always save a few frontline seeds for next season.

If you have four great seeds and eight ok seeds then plant two good ones and two to four ok seeds as back ups...

4/28/2006 2:16:34 AM

Ohio

G, dont tell him that! Your favorite homegrown could cause the man to do prison time,and you smoking that stuff ever week in June can cause brain cells to be lost.,shesh! Duster, start any of my seeds and Ill replace what you use or waste! Grow em big Duster!

Brooks

4/28/2006 5:00:00 AM

Ohio

See what you made me do G,I should have never tried your home grown,LOL. Sorry Duster, I ment Gophson....

4/28/2006 5:04:26 AM

Clinton, Iowa

This is a very good thread...with all the great seeds out there. there is no reason not to start good quality seeds for back ups...I start ALOT of back ups and have to discard great plants every year BUT I sleep alot better knowing all our eggs are not resting on one and only one plant..Usually I have 4 plants per hill...A primary seed.....and then a primary back up.....and then 2 others that have preformed well just incase....
In 2004 our back up was used and it happened to be a 1097 Beachy. It produced a damaged fruit BUT it was a dandy none the less at 1432#...The primary in that hill looked a bit weak so Marc and I decided to go with the healthier 1097...worked out for us....the importance of quality back ups pay off
I start them all at once also.....I (personally) don't like to be a week in the hole from the start so I do them all at once....
And on a funny note....I have planted a 547 Armstrong EVERY YEAR since it's inception.. and it has yet to make the cut...Scott is a real close friend and it's an ongoing joke....I call the 547 Armstrong "my spring covercrop". and send him pictures of it culled and wilting in the alley!!!LOL!!
Good luck to all!!
DAN

4/28/2006 7:00:31 PM

Denver, CO

Great adivce from everyone! I guess I was feeling a littel guitly at "wasting" a good seed, but it seems to be a better choice in the long run. I know from experince last year having one seed go flat vine on me that having the backup planted next to it was a life saver. Grew a personal best 389 lbs from it.

Thanks for all the help!

4/29/2006 8:12:59 PM