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Itzetown City

I have two patches i can use for growing the big ones. In order to let the main vine grow as long as possible, in one patch i can let the plant go from west to east in the other from north to south.
What´s in your opinion the best direction to grow em big?

11/19/2003 5:25:47 AM

Deer Park, WI

I hate to break it to you, but i really dont think plant direction has any affect on anything. Im beating my head on the desk drying to come up with a logical advantage to growing a plant in a particular direction, but have only come up with a sore head. As a general observation, plants prefer to grow towards a light source, and will tend to do a north-south thing. However, i dont think you would ruin its day by planting west-east.

11/19/2003 9:02:51 AM

[email protected]

The old farmers will tell you it does matter, and I have always planted in this fashion according to them. The sun rises in the east, and sets in the west, and as the season progresses, the sun moves from it's high point in the sky in the early season to the north, to the later part of the season in the south. Therefore, taking all of this into consideration, planting and training your vine to grow in a southwesterly fashion will have the end of the main growing towards the warmest point at all times. Remember, early season and early day are Northeast, and Late season and late day are Southwest. Grow from northeast to southwest and it will give you the old farmers edge.

11/19/2003 9:14:56 AM

Brillion Wisconsin

Training the main vine in the direction of the rotation of the earth seems to work well.

11/19/2003 10:44:25 AM

Montoursville, PA

The leaves of a healthy plant will position themselves to receive the warming and engerizing sun. It may be just a tad easier to do if one does not have to twist so much to find the proper angles.

11/19/2003 1:03:39 PM

Syracuse, NY

apparently to a lot of people the direction of the actual growth of the plant is quite important. i ALMOST envy those that have 100% of the option. interesting question.
and answers! 'pal

11/21/2003 8:16:10 PM

Eugene, OR

Here's one for those of you in the know regarding vine position. When transplantin the seedling, how can you tell which way the main will grow?

I've been told that the main will usually grow opposite the first true leaf but being a noob, I have no idea what is considered the first "true leaf." Is the first true leaf the first to appear after the seedling has emerged?

Any way to know FOR SURE which way the main will go?

11/21/2003 9:01:05 PM

Norton, MA

The main vine most always goes the opposite direction of the first true leaf. The first true leaf is the first pointy or jagged leaf. It's actually the third leaf if you count the oval shaped seed leaves.

11/22/2003 2:02:50 PM

Eugene, OR

Ok, gotcha. Thank you!

11/22/2003 8:16:56 PM

Deer Park WA

I put my plants in the ground so they run south to north with the prevailing winds, I tried a couple running into the wind and the plant kept turning back south to north.

11/22/2003 11:29:42 PM