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Maine

I've never really understood the concept of burying vines and why some say it's necessary and how/when to do it etc. The Don Langevin book doesn't really talk about it all but I know several people on this site do it. What's the scoop? Thanks.

6/20/2003 10:17:21 PM

Leicester, NY

Maineic,
I bury my vines mainly to help establish an extensive root system. A plant with a healthy root system is less likely to wilt in hot weather and will be able to take up a maximum amount of water; that translates into bigger fruit. Also, it helps anchor the plant so the vines are not twisting and getting damaged by the winds. I believe it makes it a little more difficult for the vine borers to gain access to the vines by establishing that barrier..Joe P.

6/20/2003 10:34:58 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

Can't get much better advice than that Eric, Joe's one of the best....

6/20/2003 11:02:04 PM

Maine

Hi - So if I bury the vine it will just root itself? Do I just bury the vine at certain points along the vine or do I literally bury the whole thing? Thanks again.

6/20/2003 11:13:30 PM

Ontario

bury it all.

6/20/2003 11:27:53 PM

Leicester, NY

I put a small trench ahead of the growing vines. After they grow and enter the trenched area, I cover the whole vine. If you don't want to do that, you could just put a small amount of soil at each leaf junction and that should work well too. Joe P.

6/20/2003 11:32:25 PM

canal winchester ohio

I posted a pic in my diary that may help explain it a bit........Paul

6/22/2003 9:48:18 AM

Ypsilanti Michigan

Be carfull to not force the vines down in the trench. Get some bamboo sticks, and use a 'x' crossing over them or use horseshoe stakes. move them down little by little to avoid snaping them. then cover them up packing soil around each leaf stem not covering the flower. Im still fighting some side shoots that stick up in the air. They get heavy and soon go to the ground. I took some metal washers with wire and put it on the sting coming out from the vine to avoid harming the vine.Just makes the vines lay down quicker. Happy pumpkin growing1

6/23/2003 4:16:25 PM

Utah

sometime cutting off the tentrils helps to get them lower to the ground. I prefer the heaping shovelful myself.

6/23/2003 5:20:26 PM

[email protected]

OK. Bury the vines. But what of the just forming secondaries? Right now each of our have a bunch of tendrils growing off them. How soon should these be buried? Bury the whole thing tendrils & all? The growing tip I assume would be left out & the oldest section buried as it developes? How long should secondaries be when we bury them?

This is the stuff we never did (& perhaps should have) with the Prizewinners.

Steve

6/23/2003 9:27:43 PM

canal winchester ohio

The main on my best plant is 5 foot long & I haven't backfilled in any trenches yet. I like the male flowers at the leaf junctions to be at least 4" high before I backfill over that junction. If you bury to soon you will stunt the vines growth & inhibit the male flowers from forming fully. I cut the tendrils off. And I bury everything, but I have extremely loose soil. It's a personal choice if you want to bury just secondaries or all the plant. My plants are in raised beds so I don't worry about the vines rotting....

6/23/2003 9:54:48 PM

Montoursville, PA

I've been coached to burry them all as soon as the vine will lay down in the trench. Keep the flowers just hardly covered until they get about three inches tall and then add more cover.

I use a Warren Hoe making the trench just deep enough to hide the vine and pull a little soil over the vine. I do what I have to do to deal with the tendrils. Mostly I leave them on and burry them where ever they want to go. It has to help hold the vine down should you get in a windy situation.

6/23/2003 10:04:05 PM

porterville,california usa

i`ve been burying the whole vine this year. just leave the ends sticking out. the lateral vines keep polking thru the dirt on their own so i can cut them or grow them as i choose. i bury them too. the last pic in my diary shows a pumpkin and the vine i had to up root for slack. roots can be seen growing out of the vine where i dug it up. it was only buried for 14 days before i had to uncover it. they sure grow roots fast when covered.

6/24/2003 1:58:49 AM

Ypsilanti Michigan

Pinch vine buds off all secondairies before covering. Better to have a clean patch, than to have vines crossing over burried secondaries. secondaries are like batteries giving more juice to the main vine. Id start burrying them when you see tap roots forming. Wait too long, and the taps can get broken off. Use sticks to guide vines to keep them where they should go. Good websight!

6/25/2003 10:12:54 PM