From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

I believe I read somewhere here that the main vine will always grow in the opposite direction of the first true leaf. Is this true?

5/10/2006 8:01:52 PM

[email protected]

This is true at least 70% of the time. One way to stack the deck in our favor is to stick the first true leaf opposite the future main vine direction, but then also plant the seedling at a 20 degree angle toward the desired direction.

5/10/2006 8:10:42 PM

Applegate, Oregon

Tremor nailed it! I have had a little better than 70%, but the 20 degree angle tip saved my but on those that didn't go opposite. One of my early fair plants grew the same direction as the first true leaf this season!

5/10/2006 9:23:14 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Tremor,
I can't picture what you mean by also planting "the seedling at a 20 degree angle toward the desired direction". Do you mean angle it 20 degrees so the vine will be more prone to lie on the soil????

5/10/2006 9:40:14 PM

No Place Special

Yep when you plant it "tilt" the plant in the direction you want it to go.

5/10/2006 10:40:27 PM

[email protected]

Yes, tilting also helps some plants that are prone to reaching for the sky to lay down without a cracked or kinked vine.

5/10/2006 11:10:04 PM

Puyallup, WA

Lord....."Please help me not to have a main vine reaching for some invisible sky hook again this year."

5/10/2006 11:27:17 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

I think that the theory behind the "opposite the first true leaf" theory is that the second leaf will be slightly bigger and therefore tilt the main vine in that direction...the 20 degree tilt when planting is just an added edge to the tilt theory!!! Could be all wrong but the theory and the tilt seems to work for me. Peace, Wayne

5/11/2006 12:10:55 AM

[email protected]

LOL @ Stan....gotta watch those Lloyd/Mettler genetics.

5/11/2006 10:23:13 AM

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Stan,

It was not a invisible sky hook, it was the brass ring.

5/11/2006 1:27:20 PM