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Mill Bay, British Columbia

I'd like to get a consensus from the more experienced growers on what your trimming practice is for the tendril, and secondary that are next to a pumpkin that you will be pollinating.

The reason I ask is simple, the sooner you terminate the un-needed tendril and secondary the smaller the scar that needs to heal...the longer you leave it..the bigger the vine..the bigger the wound or scar.

If you auto-trim those secondaries and then the pumpkin turns out not to be your "keeper" then you've sacrificed a secondary that you did not need to trim.

My practice has always been to terminate the tendril and secondary next to the female pumpkin flowers if they appear to be far enough out and might be logical keepers.

What is your method??

Thanks/Glenn

6/22/2012 11:17:50 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

I think your right Glenn.... sooner or later it has to go....I usually wait for a while after my pollination....I bend it away but it always gets in the way...and then cut off..

6/22/2012 12:13:31 PM

Wi

I let the jungle grow until I KNOW I have a keeper. Here in our neck of the woods we rub a little dirt on the wounds and don't worry about them. Disclaimer: rubbing dirt on a wound may not work down south.

6/22/2012 2:28:30 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

I let the secondary grow with the hopes that it will bring in more nutrients and water. I dont cut it off until it is 100% necessary. The leaf on the other hand, that is cut off as soon as I pollinate t avoid any unwanted scars.
Most tendrils get cut off as soon as I see them, most times they are an unwated nuisance.

6/22/2012 3:02:06 PM

Port Alberni, BC, Canada

Glenn, I agree 100% with Tom on this. Tendrils get cut/pinched off as soon as I see them. Tirthiaries (sp?) get pinched off at the same time. Saves a lot of time later on.

6/22/2012 5:09:15 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Thanks. Tendrils and tertiaries are pinched/cut asap here too Jake, but I always wondered about the secondary right with the pumpkin or on the opposite side of the vine from the pumpkin...sounds like most keep it for as long as possible or till the pumpkin needs the room.

Agreed Tom about that overhead leaf...it gets the chop.

6/22/2012 8:10:07 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Sorry forgot the link to my diary with the pumpkin and secondary in question.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=181572

Looks to me like secondary will be opposite side of the vine from this pumpkin..is that right?

Chris, I'll start rubbing dirt on all the wounds if it makes me grow one like a Stevens'...

6/22/2012 8:24:20 PM

Ohio

Glenn,I always leave my secondary on right next to the pumpkin, to me its the 2nd most important vine on the whole plant (the most important is the main of course). What 2 better vines ( the main and secondary next to pumpkin)to use that has a straight feed right to your pumpkin.

6/26/2012 11:56:09 PM

Massillon, Ohio

Brooks.... "Joze", our resident plant physiologist, discussed this very thing last year. Many growers think this secondary is just in the way, and terminate it. It was no trouble to keep this vine on.....here's how it looked.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=170393

6/27/2012 6:08:30 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Nana,

Gonna try and keep mine this year. Looks like it haZ to be dug up and moved back? Also....I plan on putting BiZ'Z 1244 Nana into my 1016 and 670.....ThankZ for sharing!

6/28/2012 9:52:51 AM