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Grittyville, WA

I know there are reasons to do this, but I mean should I cut off my own foot to prevent stubbing my toe?

I know the top growers are doing it I just wish we knew what exactly it was costing. It's easy to blanket assume "its negligible" but I dont think we truly know if it's good, bad, or indifferent?

Perhaps someone with a plant that has run amok could pollinate two very similar blossoms on two very similar secondaries and then note the development of the pumpkins with or without the adjacent leaf being cut.

Due to natural variations the experiment would have to be repeated at least a few times, and the data scrutinized. Personally I'd leave that leaf until it's a problem and even then I'd bend it out of the way rather than cutting it. But I have no more knowledge than anyone else. Tree fruit growers might have a scientifically informed opinion. It's a question I'd like to understand better.

[Last edit: 06/06/26 2:35:54 PM]

6/6/2026 2:33:33 PM

Grittyville, WA

Ps my calculations (which are at least 50% speculative) give an approximate value of that leaf at about 20 lbs. But there are reasons why it could be much more or much less. It might even help gain lbs to cut it off under certain circumstances where the leaf could be diverting resources rather than contributing, but generally leaves contribute to growth, so this would not be the norm. An extreme heat event would be an example of where the plant might benefit from having less foliage. Generally shade cloth or misting would be more sensible ways placate the demands of the foliage.

Another factor could be hormones. I wont write a dissertation on plant hormones but the issue here is (either positive or negative direction) they could significant factor. If you start seeing the plant in terms of hormones it raises a lot of questions about what could affect cell division and final weights... Again, it's possible to dismiss one leaf as insignificant to the hormones, but even a small nudge in either direction could be dozens of lbs at the finish line.

Let me propose another experiment:

Cut a leaf off somewhere along the main but shade it as though the leaf was still there. Then see how the secondary at that node develops compared to the other secondaries.

I think it might develop better because of reduced auxins coming from the leaf. But it might develop slower because of slightly less photosynthates at that node.

Well I apologize for tweaking about this... I will do some experiments. And then use the results to grow a really big pumpkin someday!

[Last edit: 06/06/26 10:57:15 PM]

6/6/2026 2:41:58 PM

Ontario

I have heard that speculation before. Im definitely going to try and keep the leaf at the stem this year. Probably tie it off to a post to pull at away from the fruit with a wide band, as to not damage the leaf too much.

6/6/2026 7:03:25 PM

Western NY

For me, it depends on the orientation. The ones that are a pain are the ones that the leaf stalk come out under the stem and then curls up. Those get cut.

My favorites are the ones where the leaf stalk comes almost straight up, and the pumpkin stem perpendicular to that. Those I keep, and I treat that particular leaf as a prime candidate for foliar feeding when I do so. I'll let that leaf stay on just as long as I can throughout the season.

6/6/2026 9:48:03 PM

C N Y

I suppose that for the potential benefits of keeping it, yeah, merely denting-in the stalk near its base and tenderly bending/cradling it aside with crossed bamboos or even a flat rock and guide sticks would be beneficial. I call it The Protector Leaf and it has been kept or not, 'accordingly', over the years. Amongst all of us, one day, we'll have secondaries out-pacing the mains---eg
PS---LK, maybe this is a time to finally put BLACK material to use on as many leaves as a grower can manage.
I've yet to experiment (I don't have any black towels, etc. and WeedBlock may retain too MuCh heat) with my personal belief that
a black material, although perhaps absorbing more heat by default, will block that heat/radiation more than a white sheet that is the norm by simplicity alone. No argument for/against it, as I just dunno. Once my plants arise...Muh-hu-hu-hawh-hawh...Cough...Ahem.

6/7/2026 2:02:38 AM