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Bristol, ME ([email protected])

This is my rookie year and as you can see by the pic of the patch in my diary, I planted my two plants too close together. Now I am beginning to get a mess in the center between the two with secondaries on the inside of each trying to cross each other and creating a jungle. I've tryed to train the inside secondaries to curve out toward the front of the patch but there are getting to be just too many to fit in the space between the two main vines of each plant. There is 1 set on each plant, well beyond the messy area and everything looks real happy. I know I could cull some of them but I really don't want to sacrifice leaves for access to the center where there are no fruit. Should I just do the best I can and let them go until they are long enough to bury, cull some of them so it's more manageable and risk sacrificing plant energy or how would you guys handle this situation, the result of a rookie mistake. The distance between main vines is only about 6 feet.

7/11/2002 6:57:44 PM

Deer Park WA

Try to train the mains away from each other, let them go on the lawn, over the fence what ever. If they become to dense you are inviting dease. Also trim off all terciaries from the secondaries. Try to bury at minimum the main vine, I use small sticks to train the secondaries, it is important to keep the plant "managed" so you the grower can select the final fruit position, and control the plants growth. Best of luck. PS also fertilize and water in controlled amounts to obtain max balance between fruit growth and vine growth. :]

7/11/2002 8:08:41 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey Stunner, From a guy who let the vine take over last year let me tell ya it's better to manage them early. The secondaries and tertiaries you let go now will start to climb up your main vine impossible to get to and the tendrils will do the job they're there to do. Stangle whoever is in the way. Finally I had to go in and cut away. Was left with a chopped up vine. Go with what Gads is telling ya. You be much happier in the long run. I 'd even terminate the ones in the middle so the don't cross. Sort of a flag pattern with some growth to the inside and train the mains away from each other. signed STILL LEARNING!

7/11/2002 8:43:15 PM