From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Streator ,Illinois

which secondary is best to pollinate if you have no main and did you let it keep growing or dead head, I have lost 4 main vine on 2 plants and running out of time and space and it is hard to live trap deer in town and my wife put a lock on my smoke pole
Thanks
Gene

6/27/2018 9:22:06 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

My guess would be a secondary as far out from the stump as possible. That way, if you lose the stump later in the season, you will still have a lot of vine to feed the pumpkin. If you use one of the first secondaries and the stump goes bad, that secondary could end up getting cut off from most of the plant.

As far as the deer go, you could put up an electric fence or multiple strands of twine to fence them out. If that isn't possible, try using soap to repel them. The little bars that you get at hotels work best. Leave the wrapper on, stick a wire through the bars and hang them around the patch. The wrapper keeps rain from melting them too fast, and the scent scares the deer. I did that when I was growing Christmas trees, and it worked great. If you can't get the little bars, any scented soap will work.

6/27/2018 10:22:32 AM

Grittyville, WA

If you are not worried about losing the stump I think the secondaries nearer the stump are usually strongest but it depends on the plant. Look for one that is more healthy and fast growing than the others. I dont know about pruning hopefully mobeymike will answer that.

6/27/2018 1:43:42 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Gene, this ain’t your first rodeo, I’m sure you know what to do and it will be a monster.

If I were using a secondary (and I have) I certainly would be looking to use one further out on the main to ensure maximum growth behind the fruit.

Yeah, electric fence if your wife won’t let you use alternative methods.

6/27/2018 2:42:27 PM

Grittyville, WA

She is a softie for animals... or trying to keep him out of trouble...

6/27/2018 2:48:02 PM

Hadley Ny

I've had my best luck (3rd year grower but grow a bunch) on secondaries that are closer to the stump but what Iowegian says makes sense if you have one close to being pollinated on a secondary. The further out the better. My personal best is on the 4th secondary about 4' away from the main. A lot of the first or second secondaries are almost as big as the main with fruit often before the main. Whether you cull the main after that secondary is up to somebody besides me. Out of my league there but willing to guess everything will be pushed to the secondary.

6/27/2018 2:55:59 PM

Upa Creek, MO

I’d try getting a close one on the furthest out secondary. Then treat it as new main and grow terts off it as secondaries. Or pollinate on the 5th or 6th out and grow terts off that, and you prob have to remove the main and secondaries past the chosen mid range secondary. Tons of ways to get creative. I’m currently doing this on both my plants since all main fruits lost in heat from a week ago.

6/27/2018 7:56:34 PM

Home of happy lil plants

Same distance you would on main.

Add total;

say 10ft out main and 5ft out that side 15ft set on main equivalent but you get a more established root system than you would on the main at 15ft.

DO IT

Keep vine past fruit

6/27/2018 11:45:23 PM

Colorado

Id go with a strong secondary just before where bambi chewed on the main. Let it grow pruning same as you would have the main.

6/27/2018 11:58:59 PM

Wisconsin

Gene, if possible leave the vine going that you choose. As far as the best vine? I dunno I'd aim for something that ends up equaling your normal preferred distance if possible, like if you target 15 ft, go 9 feet out and 6 feet over, 12 feet out 3 feet over. Pollinate everything and see what you get.

6/28/2018 2:49:05 AM

Marshfield, Ma, USA

On a plant that I had given up on, I kept a pumpkin on the fifth secondary that was pollinated on July 12 or so. I cut off the rest of the secondary beyond the pumpkin. The pumpkin was about four feet down the secondary with the main at about ten feet at it's juncture. It finished the year at 1438 pounds. Not sure if this is the best vine to use, but it worked for me. I think the furthest out would be probably be the best if you have a viable female available.

6/28/2018 6:49:37 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Pumpkineer, that's promising. I have a 1674 Marsh that's growing well on my 6th secondary out. I have kept the secondary running past the fruit in my case and have some terts growing off it as well.

6/28/2018 8:23:53 AM

Marshfield, Ma, USA

Good luck with it Luke. I'll be checking out your diary to see how it goes.

6/28/2018 8:57:51 AM

Westmoreland, KS

Good luck with this heat over the next few weeks Luke! Keep'm cool buddy!

6/28/2018 9:30:41 AM

Streator ,Illinois

thanks for the suggestions looks like I will have to save the 4th secondary it should of been terminated today ,all the rest have been terminated , I believe the secondaries grew faster then normal after I lost the second main so I guess I might get a pumpkin set at around 24ft the long way.
This should be the most abnormal xmas tree pattern that I have ever grown. I think I will terminate the 3rd main I started off of the 2nd main and call it done. thinking of all the suggestions talk me rite off the 1st cliff
but it is time to get EVIL with the deer that the neighbor loves to feed and think they are so cute.
Thanks
Gene

6/28/2018 12:57:35 PM

Hadley Ny

Mine was set at about 12' from the stump on a secondary...pollinated July 21...500 lbs est Orange...My growing season stops early September if you have 25' of total vine to the kin it should do fine.

6/28/2018 2:49:55 PM

Central NY

Crossbows are pretty quiet....

6/28/2018 4:04:49 PM