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Western Pa.

I only have one promising fruit on my Bobier 845, and I've never quite encountered this before. The pumpkin has a short stem and curves over the vine, very shortly the fruit will rest on the vine. Slowly moving the pumpkin is not an option, the syems on this plant are brittle and will and have snapped with the smallest movement. The only cure I can think of is to loosen and roll the main vine over top of the pumpkin. Anyone ever "survive" this dilemna with a pumpkin? Thanks!

8/1/2003 10:37:06 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Could you take a pic and post it, Kilr?

8/1/2003 11:19:36 AM

Midway City, California

Hi Killer, I belive that I read it someplace in the Giant Pumpkins II book that Rolling the Pumpkin is the method that is used. Don't hold me on it though as I could not find the info in the book. John -- Water

8/1/2003 11:42:46 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Sounds risky either way. rolling or letting it be.

Rolling will tork the vine and you'll probably lose leaves and secondaries too due to the amt of slack needed to complete the manuver.


Best of Luck to you Kilr.

8/1/2003 11:50:09 AM

Oz

cut some pvc pipe in half long ways.this can push the weight from the pumpkin to the sides of the pvc.
lots of sock sand bags will help also.
water real good at near sun down,this will make the plant more bendable.

8/1/2003 12:18:09 PM

New York

Jim,
I had a similar problem with an 845 this year. Plant is extremely brittle and stem curved around the vine. I ended up turning the vine about 90 degrees as the pumpkin was more or less growing under the vine. Since then I ended up cutting off the main vine past the pumpkin. The vine stops at the pumpkin...this was the only way as I'm sure the stem or vine would snap in time during growth. Pumpkin is now doing fine without any stress...or fear of it down the road.

8/1/2003 10:56:36 PM

Jamestown, NY

Kilr,
Had the same problem with my 845 last year. I took a pallet and propped it up at an angle with stakes to support it. The pumpkin grew on the pallet at about 20-25° pointing stem down. It looked kinda stupid but it worked to relieve stem stress. The pumpkin ended up to be 879 pounds. I'm sure if I hadn't done anything, the stem would have snapped. Tim

8/2/2003 8:32:32 AM

I woulden't waste much time with this problem, I'd snap it off, however if you are going to try to keep it going the only way is to adjust the vine rotating it towards the pumpkin....its quite a turn of the vine and you will have to cut quite a few tap roots or dig them out and replant after you get the vine positioned the way you want it.

8/2/2003 4:34:06 PM

Amherst, WI

Kilr, how far out on the main is that critter? Have you considered severing the main beyond the stem? I had to do this on one last year and it seemed to do ok. I just saw no other way to save it. Hope it works out for you. Good luck.

8/3/2003 12:05:58 PM