From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Mission Viejo, CA

I need some help knowing which Pumpkin to cull. Here's the specs

P2 is 18 days old. It has an OTT of 133 inches; 57 lbs or so. Its growing nicely for a young fruit and put on 10 lbs over the last 24 hours. It was a 4 lobe flower; its on a primary vine off the stump but I wouldn't consider it the main. Its about 10 feet off the stump. The stem is split on both sides but as I've read, I just treated it with sulfer powder, kept it dry and it seems fine so far. The vine is also split in front and back of the kin.

P3 is 14 days old. It has an OTT of 96 inches; 22.7 lbs today. Its on the main, although I snapped the vine off about 4-5 nodes past the pumpkin about 10 days ago. This is a 5 lober but its about 20 feet off the stump. Its also got some splits in the vine and the stem but don't appear to be a big deal. I haven't been charting this one as long but it put on about 5 lbs in the last 24 hours which is comparable to what P2 was doing at its age.

Which would you cull, and why? What if I didn't cull either?

I am a small patch (400 sf), first time grower.

8/8/2012 10:12:03 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

You have to go with your own gut....and do it quick...or just given in and grow two

8/9/2012 7:32:25 AM

East Jordan, MI

Vine position, shape, growth and problems are what I use to decide.

Vine splits on either side of the stem, stem split on both sides, on a secondary vine (with only a single vine -- no sides from it?), 10 ft from the stump == lots of challenges to overcome.

And P3 also has some splitting problems...but I think you indicate they aren't as bad.

In my opinion the Pumpkin 20 ft out on a main with 400 sq feet of plant mostly behind it should have the best shot at getting the biggest for you.

Good luck and like Shannon said, only you can decide...Culling isn't ever easy...the longer you wait the harder it gets and the more you steal from the other one....you can what if yourself crazy.

Also if/when you decide, I would take 2 or 3 days to cut the other one off by cutting partially through the stem with a V to keep from sending a huge surge to the other one causing it to split.

8/9/2012 9:03:47 AM

Mission Viejo, CA

Thanks for the advice everyone. I started the partial cut on P3. Hard choice to make...but like I told my wife, I have to cut it and its part of the rookie growth experience. In reality, its blessing to have pumpkins to choose from!

8/9/2012 11:41:33 PM