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Minnesota([email protected])

My three competition plants seem to be at the stage where they should be(maybe they are) vining out. I've seen plants in the diary section, that are already lying down the main, with a similar number of leaves. Mine still seem to be growing upward. Will the mainvines, eventually start growing more parallel to the ground? Or do they sometimes just keep growing up, and need to be trained down? I'm not sure the mainvines are even developed enough to start training. It seems that if they do start lying down, they will start at least 8" above the ground. Do I need to bend the whole plant in the direction I want the mains to go(this seems risky). Maybe I'm too anxious. I just don't want to wait too long, if I should be traing the plant to lie down.

5/29/2006 11:44:10 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

...I meant 'training' the plant to lie down(last sentence).

5/30/2006 12:04:32 AM

San Diego

the vine will start to lay down on it's own, all we can do is help it along by supporting it in various ways as it falls down if it is up real high or at a bad angle. If you do nothing, you risk a vine breakage or severe crack, etc if it falls down too fast at a bad angle. Many growers will use bamboo sticks in an "X" fashion under the vine as it falls, each "X" is a little lower to the ground and spaced out so it kind of ends up looking like a freeway off ramp or a bridge that slopes down to the ground smoothly. Hope this helps. Jimmy

5/30/2006 12:41:41 AM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

It is more vulnerable to wind till you get her down. Since you're in Minnesota and had blast furnace winds over the weekend, I assume you're maybe in the greenhouse yet. In the greenhouse they'll go up almost 2 feet before they start leaning over. But start training them over the way you want, and if they're spanning too far sideways add a bit of support.

5/30/2006 8:15:23 AM

Mocksville, NC

Go easy with any nitrogen right now, and for Gods sake dont mess with the plant early morning. I know better but was tierd, and i braced all plants, and got to my wifes, the last one. I barely moved it , and herd that celery snap at the tap root, Well plants gone, and wife is very pissed. word of advise dont do anything in patch when tierd.and wait for the plant to warm up it more plyable then. Roger AKA in the dog house!

5/30/2006 4:14:32 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks for the replies.
Duster,
You really described the vine supporting process well!
One plant is getting top heavy, and I will follow your advice. You may have saved me some cracked vines. I'm grateful.

5/31/2006 11:24:08 AM