From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Johnston, Iowa

What do You do if one of your plants develops a flat vine? In doing a site search, I'm seeing a mixed bag. It looks like some growers automatically remove the plant, some let it grow, some train a secondary as the new main, etc.

What would you do . . . especially early in the season, and if you had an OK backup plant.

5/14/2019 10:45:28 AM

poke a stick in your eye less painfull

5/14/2019 10:54:01 AM

Westmoreland, KS

I have one with a flat vine growing right now...I'll be cutting it out soon it's a mangled mess.

5/14/2019 11:43:09 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Depends on if it set a good secondary. If the secondary is good train that for the main...If not poke a stick in your eye as Don says. This way you will not turn to stone, when you look at it

5/14/2019 1:25:02 PM

Colorado

You can go with it but will have to trim the tip off the end of the flat vine and go with a aggressive secondary for a main as linus suggested.It costs about a weeks worth of momentum-dont do the eye poke

5/14/2019 2:20:40 PM

Johnston, Iowa

Thanks everybody!

5/14/2019 3:55:44 PM

Cornelius, Oregon

In agreement on the secondary idea. If I have a good one, I'll cut that flat vine off, and run that secondary like the main. if not, then either plant 3 or four in that site for a 'cash crop' knowing they will not be competitive, but could still be money makers to support the patch, or I will cull the plant and enjoy that extra time doing more fun things in the summer.

5/14/2019 5:31:49 PM

Guelph, Ontario

Last year grew a nice pumpkin on a 'flat' stem. Getting a take was a bit of a challenge, but pumpkin grew fine. A bit slow in growing.

5/16/2019 9:17:56 AM

Springfield, VT

The question is how bad of a flat vine. Doubles usually split and one can be removed. As the width goes up sometimes a good secondary is the choice. Otherwise a backup plant should replace the plant.

5/16/2019 12:00:50 PM