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Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

I have an 1180 Pukos that has a 9' main vine and has produced NO side vines! This is my 8th year of growing and never experienced this before. N-P-K levels as well as pH seems fine. Anyone have any other ideas what could cause this? Is it possible to get a decent size pumpkin from this type of plant?
PS. I posted a pic of it on my diary.

6/19/2013 5:45:20 PM

Sourthern Utah

had one like that a few yrs back,, wont say what seed,, dont want to hurt ,, feelings,, but i just culled it after about 12 ft,, waste of time,, blossoms would not set either,

6/19/2013 6:35:01 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

All I can say is from what I remember from college while getting my biology degree is that branching is basically controlled by hormones sent from the apex (tip) of the main vine. The hormones are actually negative / inhibitor hormones that is that as long as the main tip is growing it sends chemical signals to the rest of the plant that prohibit excessive vining/ branching. In a normal plant there is a balance to this, that establishes the main as the primary vine and the secondaries as less vigorous. Perhaps you have a plant that is releasing an excessive amour of this inhibitor hormone. The theoretical remedy would be to cut the tip off of the main. Taboo of course but it looks like you're ready to yank the plant so I encourage you to try this and report the results. Either way best of luck. Jim

6/19/2013 6:36:54 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Funny you mention that Orangeneck, I lost my main this week and the secondaries are growing full force and terts are already popping in every direction.

6/19/2013 7:39:32 PM

Glen Allen, VA

Mark, I am having the exact same issue this year! From what I have read I think something is lacking in the soil. Some nutrient is tied up in the soil. Even though my soil test said that I have plenty of every thing. Since I only have one plant growing,in desperation I doused it with miracle grow (that's right, miracle grow, gasp!). My thought was to give the plant some immediately available NPK. It seems to have worked as the plant is now putting out side vines, but it's too late to salvage the plant. I planted a back up that Tom V still had in a pot and was so generous to give me over the weekend.

6/19/2013 9:50:00 PM

Winston Salem, NC

My 1775 Starr was dragging a little bit in this respect...I'm at 11' and the side vines about 5' out just shot out over 2' but secondaries at 1-3' are less than 1'. I am thinking that my plant will catch up but I am interested to see if someone knows of a deficiency in the soil that slows the progression of side vines. I am absolutely growing this plant out so we will see if it catches up.

6/19/2013 10:30:25 PM

Mnt.pleasant ,tennessee

Tried a big max last year & it was just a main till the dang rooster snapped it a bit bout a foot from end rite past a node 10'main.well next morning there was a 2' secondary at that node.so few days later cut a notch rite past another node& it shot out a 1' secondary.didnt ever set nuthing it was july aug time i forced several secondarys.

6/19/2013 10:33:27 PM

Fairfield, CT, 06825

I agree with Orangeneck... Your best bet is to chop the tip off the main to stimulate secondary growth. Then train a secondary that hopefully will come as a new main.. Its better than pulling the plant!!!

6/19/2013 11:10:53 PM

Westmoreland, KS

I have this issue with one of my plants i have some sides growing but very few compared to my other plant. I had the same issue with one of the plants last year I also thought it was my soil so i added all the necessary amendments. So as a test in the same spot this year i've put two plants in one (the seed which gave me issues last year) and a new seed. The new seed looks like a perfect christmas tree and the other plant has the exact same issue it had last year. So it has to be genetic.

6/20/2013 9:12:36 AM

Johnston, Iowa

I've had weak side vine development this year. Some have just not grown at all. The ones that have formed have really slow growth. Cool spring weather the cause?

6/20/2013 1:03:56 PM

low nitrogen or in pella iowa case-washed out nitrogen from excessive rainfall

6/20/2013 4:28:28 PM

Hyde Park, Utah USA

sparcmat.. I had two 1775 Starr's both were extremely weak seedlings compared to everything else. One I didn't even plant out because it was so deformed and weak. The other I used as a backup when my 1843.5 Geddes got it's main stem near the base severed in a severe wind.. microburst. It never really got going few secondaries and small leaves, just a weak plant. I think my two 1775's suffered from inbred depression, as it was two self pollinations in a row. I pulled it today, as I think it was collapsing from Pythium. Just a weak plant.

6/22/2013 2:31:43 AM

BC, Canada

Tim
I had a 1775 seed, it was the only seed I had this year that didn't make it. It started to sprout and then just stopped. I thought that it was damping off but done of my others in same conditions did.
Interesting.

6/22/2013 2:53:06 AM

Mission Viejo, CA

My 1775 double-vined and has been tough to grow so far. I've got secondaries now, but they are disproportionate to the main. After I trimmed one of the double mains the main has since split twice (my fault in all likelyhood as I didn't trim enough leafs to prevent it from twisting).

6/24/2013 5:40:48 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Kevin, then there's me... no more main after it got ripped in half. I am ALL side vines now. lmao

6/24/2013 8:34:26 PM