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Edmonton, 53.5N, 113.6W

I've got a young plant that has a double vine. Does it have a negative effect on the pumpkin or how the plant grows and spreads? The reason I ask is that it is the plant I'd like to go with and looks good (other than the fused vine). I have another plant right next to it that is fairly normal but a little smaller that I could grow instead and will be pulling one of the two. My decision is made for me if double vines end up being a problem later on...

5/19/2015 4:07:50 PM

Springfield, VT

Usually double vines will correct themselves with out without help and grow correctly from that point.

5/19/2015 4:28:16 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Double vines can be prone to splits. Sometimes you can correct them by cutting off one growing tip if they don't end up separating on their own.

5/19/2015 6:21:34 PM

Cincinnati,OH

Sometimes double vines correct themselves. My experience has been negative. Here is a link to one that was not save-able. You can judge by how bad your plant looks compared to this one.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=85297

5/19/2015 8:23:12 PM

East Jordan, MI

in the early stages these mutants are prone to some weird things. if its just a double, it usually fixes itself in the first 3 feet. If its not cold, you can sometimes water it heavily and help it separate by stressing the plant a little.

All that said. If you plan on growing the seeds out of this pumpkin, you might consider not passing that trait forward.

5/19/2015 8:32:09 PM

Eugene,OR

I'd grow the normal vine.

5/19/2015 11:11:00 PM

Lloydminster/AB

When it warms up the plant might smarten up and grow normal. I used to have these all the time. Once I had one split and end up with 2 main vines. Grew a pretty nice pumpkin on it. You can do like some suggest and try to cut it so you only have one vine. I stopped having double vines after I made sure the plants had nice warm soil and put heaters in to keep them warm at night. That leads me to believe that though it may be genetic it may only express in certain conditions.

5/19/2015 11:31:58 PM

Edmonton, 53.5N, 113.6W

Thanks for all the input. Given the mixed experiences I'll probably opt for the safer route of going with the normal plant but won't make the final decision for a week or so.

5/20/2015 11:06:17 AM

Colorado

Looks like ,from the picture in your diary, the double may have corrected itself. Watch for the next leaves as they form. If they come of as pairs or singles with spacing. You can even have a flat vine with spacing like candy suckers on a wooden holder. If youre getting spaced singles thats good.

5/20/2015 2:36:31 PM

Colorado

The candy sucker spacing is better described as the leaves coming off in a helix pattern around a big mutated vive. That's a extreme flat vine lay out-would definitely pull that scenario.

5/20/2015 2:41:11 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Reckhard,

Your plant looks almost identical to mine, about the same size as well. I don't have a backup....I know not an ideal situation. Your plant looks double at the one node, but the next node looks like it might go single. I'd give it some time, while keeping the other plant going. I'm hoping mine will straighten out, or I may have to give it surgery later.

5/21/2015 1:09:38 AM

Minneapolis, Mn

I'm just finishing the season in the desert...look at this years diary for my 923 Gerhardt (Davidphx)....double vine...asked advise...look at entry 68...picture of separate new tip splitting off, and existing tip continuing as double. I think this finally occurred at 6', I pinched the existing double tip after the new split-off growing tip was about 6" long...the key is the leaves...if single leaves are growing out of the new tip....it's a single vine http://bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=233386

5/22/2015 7:35:44 PM

Minneapolis, Mn

As a side note...one of the secondaries grew out as a double vine....I experimented with it and carefully pinched one of the two fused growing tips...and it continued as a corrected single. Plant was slowed down a bit because for 6' it was growing double leaves.

5/22/2015 7:38:19 PM