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Hadley Ny

I've seen a lot of diary posts with sticks for support of seedlings. Noticed with most of mine past the first true leaf are leaning towards that first leaf.. Obviously a weight gravity issue. I know the main generally grows away from the first true leaf. Stake them up until you can lay them down in the right direction? Some of mine in pails are well into their 3rd true leaf and I still can't plant for another 3 weeks.

5/10/2017 2:37:42 PM

Griffith, In

People are using the bamboo sticks to support them until they are ready to lay down,,,They are protecting them from possible wind damage.

5/10/2017 5:13:44 PM

Griffith, In

Oops, I should have said it this way,,,by possible wind damage I mean preventing them from snapping off.

5/10/2017 5:16:30 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Let them hit the ground gentle like, if not they can kink....

5/10/2017 5:25:36 PM

Hadley Ny

Forgot to add mine are in a redneck greenhouse..finally got a smartphone and my niece to show me how to work it..it's in my diary with little to no wind.. my issue is laying down in the wrong direction..stakes will correct this?? Very cold May in the northeast..I've been ten to twenty degrees below normal and not much will change in the next several days..will need to leave them in the green house but will be opening it up for a breeze on warm afternoons. Will be adding wind protection and stakes when transplanted. What to do in the meantime to keep stalks straight in the buckets...The way they are growing they have potential to be 3-4' long in three weeks. Thinking I might need to build shelves to accommodate vines.

5/10/2017 5:32:10 PM

Hadley Ny

Wizzy, how many people does it take to transplant them from a bucket when they're that long?? 3-4

5/10/2017 5:57:18 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

At least two, and not on a windy day. Can you not put up a hoop house? Any electrical available?

5/10/2017 6:25:04 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

You could make a planting board, secure vine to board

5/10/2017 6:26:12 PM

Hadley Ny

Don't want to build 20 hoop houses. 30 plants going now. 20 in buckets. Maybe next year a few hoop houses to start some. Board sounds good..attach to outside of the bucket. I'll transplant first thing in the morning when it reaches 40..LOL

5/10/2017 7:02:32 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

You can mound up loose soil where needed in combination with the bamboo sticks to support the vine until it lays down. You can always clear the soil away later.

5/10/2017 7:45:38 PM

Colorado

Some staking is to keep them growing towards the ground/keeping wind from snapping the young stump and some times (a little later)you have to stake the vine so it doesn't come down too fast- too far or it will kink/crack.The loose soil suggestion is great to also keep the bend in the vine from kinking as it tries to lay down. Your bring some dirt in to support it as it lays down. Stalking that big leaf that develops in the bend is a good idea also cause wind can split the vine right there.Its a process:)

5/11/2017 3:22:09 PM

Hadley Ny

Saw the way mine got tossed around last year I see the need for windbreaks and support. Pulled mine out into the open for watering and the wind had them all over the place. Still learnin..Thanks

5/11/2017 7:04:54 PM

Syracuse, NY

i have no pictures to go by, but if at all possible, maybe try to let gravitropism and phototropism do some of the work---PERHAPS by positioning a plant so that it grows toward the light source (you CAN block the 'wrong' lighting)and if the buckets are tipped far enough AWAY from the light by placing a board under many of them at a time, they might try to grow upright in relation to gravity and toward the light by phototropism. maybe.
no matter what happens, in my honest opinion, be ready to plant them at a steep angle, into the planting hole, in the right direction---eg

5/12/2017 3:05:40 PM

Deer Park WA

Aw yes the "flopping over stage" is another one of those delicate stage in the young plants life and we have messed up our share of lay downs. One trick to add to the above we use is to cut small foam blocks from electronic packagine I recycle at work and use the small blocks to both support the side of the vine trying to lay down and on the other side of the vine to apply opposing pressure forcing it over.

5/12/2017 9:19:14 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

I guess this is one of the very few benefits of growing in KY. Started my seeds (3) early this month, 4 days they were up, 4 days later I can see a second true leaf, and in the ground they went! Peace, Wayne

5/13/2017 2:13:04 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Taller stakes are better. On a windy day, short ones will make your leaves look like they were hit with a birdshot round.

5/13/2017 8:47:58 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I use plastic coat hangers..and a piece of rope

5/13/2017 9:39:13 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

What...Linus, no comealong w/chainfall helping to pull that beast down? Peace, Wayne LOL

5/14/2017 1:32:01 AM