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Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

My 801.5 Stelts clone has a nice 65lb pumpkin started on it, but it wants to grow on its blossom. Do I nip the problem in the butt now when its still light enough to try and correct or just let the thing grow blossum end down. Never had this problem before.

7/18/2003 1:10:17 PM

syracuse, ny

my first weighoff-bound fruit was 362.5, and the same thing happened to it....it requires a lot of supporting the vines
leading to the fruit by pounding-in 1X1 hardwood stakes at
strategic points and wrapping old socks around the vine
like slings and connecting these by wires to the stakes
with some mechanism to increase the tension on them as needed. this will keep the vine away from the fruit, as well as reduce stress on it as long as the tap roots are severed wherever the vine wants to come up with the stem.
the wood screw where the wire is attached can be wrapped
around by the wire every couple of days if needed.
i would like to try it again, but the only drawback is that it kinda grows slanted-like if not on level ground...
also, if you go about this, the roots that might still be dangling down from being pulled up can actually contribute a little if you let them grow in a gallon jug of reg.-strength Miracle Gro and water...the jug can actually support the vine...this is how i found this out.
good luck! 'pal

7/18/2003 6:44:05 PM

Key West, FL

Wouldn't it be because the stem is too high forcing the pumpkin to fall backwards onto the blossom, not because the stem is to low?

7/18/2003 6:47:04 PM