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Lodi, California

I've heard several people say " this plant had small leaves" in a positive way when people ask about their seeds. But, then again, I have noticed that a lot of big pumpkins have been grown on big-leafed plants. Take the 2328 for example. Its leaves look gigantic!

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/DisplayPhoto.asp?pid=7318

12/14/2013 2:05:04 PM

Piqua, Ohio

smaller leaves = less wind damage

12/14/2013 2:36:37 PM

Upa Creek, MO

I grow next to 250 year old trees always shedding limbs\twigs... small leaves help reflect debris and wind. Biggest leaves are always the first to meet the maker here.

12/14/2013 2:50:57 PM

Bethlehem CT

I think leaf size has a lot to do with vine spacing, pruning and fertilization. The further apart your vines are the bigger the leaves will be. Especially if you have them jacked up on Nitrogen. Also a vine that is dead ended will often produce monster leaves.

12/14/2013 3:52:23 PM

Mnt.pleasant ,tennessee

Well would bigger leaves help with co2 uptake.intake of sun for photosythesis&respiration to move water threw roots with more turger pressure?

12/14/2013 4:10:10 PM

Upa Creek, MO

I 100% agree with Big Moon. Smaller leaves means smaller distance between nodes?? so no matter how you look at it, it is still the same square footage of leaves. Also big over lapping leaves are more prone to disease like mildew.

12/14/2013 6:24:14 PM

Torrance, Ca.

You hear all kinds of things,, I really have no idea. My leaves are always on the smaller side. Jim Fredricks grows the big ones around here and when visiting his patch,,,, his leaves are the size of a large umbrella!!!!

The things look prehistoric!!!!

12/14/2013 6:41:17 PM

aurora, IL

You should also look at how massive the vine is in that picture. Could have something to do with leaf size?

12/14/2013 8:42:40 PM

San Diego

leaf size varies, some plants have larger leaves, others have smaller. Leaves also tend to get bigger as the secondaries get longer, longer vines usually means bigger leaves. I did notice an increase in leaf size while using azos, first year I used it and they got bigger than usual:) Hey Chris, we ain't growing salad! lol If I remeber right, your fruit went bigger than mine this year
:-D

12/14/2013 8:52:00 PM

Muddy Waters

small leaves easier to weed plant for sure!1495 stelts (tiny) was easy to care for.

12/14/2013 9:45:21 PM

aurora, IL

What are you talking about, I do not know you,and my pumpkin that I grew this year about 200 lbs was stolen back in September! :(

12/14/2013 9:48:33 PM

aurora, IL

The message above is for Team Faith.

12/14/2013 9:53:30 PM

Piqua, Ohio

Christopher24, So.Cal's name is Chris!

12/14/2013 9:54:16 PM

Santa Rosa, CA.

So Cal Grower is causing all kinds of trouble ;-)

12/14/2013 10:24:49 PM

San Diego

christopher24, socal is a good friend of mine and his name is Chris too, no confusion intended. :)

12/14/2013 10:27:14 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I'm Will,,,,,,,,,,,,,, who is confused?

12/14/2013 10:31:55 PM

Santa Rosa, CA.

I think 750 sf of leaves, big or small makes no difference. My leaves tend to be big but I don't think it matters.

12/14/2013 10:36:39 PM

Lloydminster/AB

Windy days will make the leaves tougher and smaller. Too much N and those leaves never stop growing....

12/14/2013 11:22:38 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Easy Spicoli, sorry you had a stolen pumpkin but you are way off target.

12/14/2013 11:26:22 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Spicoli really made me laugh! No Shoes, No Shirts,,,,,,, Nooooooooo Dice!!!!

Yea Christopher,,,,, Team Faith is an amazing guy,,,,,, never to say a bad word about anyone. And grows one heck of a pumpkin!!!

12/14/2013 11:44:27 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Ashton you have a keen mind.

As a general rule or comment I would like to add that although leaf size maybe determined to a large extent based upon the plants environment and a growers inputs. Growers should not rule out the possibility that larger leaves are in fact more efficient and sink strengthening resource.

I have done a fair bit of research on this in relation to fruit sink strength(FSS). I noticed and so did John Vincent that larger leaves often produced plants that had stronger FSS. Increased leaf size may signal a greater relationship in translocation from source to the sink. As well as higher rates of transpiration and photosynthesis.

Pruning plants is really what this topic is about. Pruning in a pattern allows for larger leaves and results in a lessen fractalized(Natures haphazard design) growth pattern.

I have been teaching growers in Ontario for the last three years that bigger leaves are better. For this reason I have been advocating a fractal type of growth pattern that mimics the shape of the plant as a giant leaf on the ground.

PBS did a NOVA show on fractals in nature (Hunting the hidden dimension) a couple of years ago. I think you might find it interesting. It is a very good description of what natures blue prints look like.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/hunting-hidden-dimension.html

hope this helps.

12/15/2013 7:19:43 AM

aurora, IL

If a pumpkin plant has small leaves would they grow closer together on the vines or farther apart with large leaves?

12/15/2013 3:46:50 PM

Lodi, California

Big Kahuna,

I agree with you 100%. Though bigger leaves may be prone to more damage, if you are really willing to put the money in you can just build a barrier to keep the wind/projectiles away ie. Silt fence. If the leaves are the same distange appart and have a large area, but are cupped together by the sheer fact that the leaves are packed together, then you have more surface area of leaves per x square feet, which equates to more photosynthisis.

12/15/2013 4:37:14 PM