From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Choctaw, OK

So, at what size plant do you guys like to have set fruit or attempt to set fruit?

I have some females that will open in a few days and i feel its a bit too early and plants are a bit too small to even attempt fruit set.

case

6/25/2003 2:36:20 AM

Montoursville, PA

General rule of thumb seems to be ten to fifteen feet out on the main vine. I was coached to remove those that were within the red zone (the area between the stump and the pumpkin selected for the grow).

6/25/2003 9:18:01 AM

Utah

Case-
I've struggled with this myself. which will do better ...
a smaller plant and an early set or a larger plant with a later set ? my answer is it depends. I think with a particular plant and certain weather conditions is the 1st. then with a different plant and the same weather it is the 2nd.
another key element is time. Will the fruit mature to early, at the right time or to late for weigh off.
if your plants are on the small side i think you still have plenty of time to pollinate. up till mid July. which is still a good time for 1st week of october weigh offs.
best of luck
gordon

6/25/2003 12:17:30 PM

syracuse, ny

i asked Joel Holland when i first started out about the number of leaves on the plant at the time of pollination, as the specification was like over a hundred and i was nowhere near this. we more than less agreed i should pollinate concerning the time left rather than than number of leaves
at the time. so, i would say if you're far enough away from the main stump, and it's right around the first week of July
or slightly before, start pollinating! i don't think the plant slows down growing everything else because it gets pollinated early-on...probably the opposite!

6/25/2003 5:39:38 PM

Choctaw, OK

thanks for the responses. i was just wondering myself what others thought was best. In past years, i havent had to worry about it as the plants were big and females seem to come out few and far between. This year is different. All plants have atleast two females showing....946 geerts has 5 showing...with a 6th on the way...i dont think the main vine is 10 feet yet...might be close..

later next week i think i will be pollinating for keepers. Real question is, should i bother to pollinate the the early females? is there any advantages or disadvantages?

Case

6/25/2003 8:36:02 PM