Posted: Mon Jul 31, 06 8:14 pm Post subject: pumpkins
the pumpkins are going great but does taking the leaves off make any difference? we were told that it helps as it focuses all the plants energy into the growth of the fruit.
wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Mon Jul 31, 06 8:17 pm Post subject:
I heard that too, but as my pumpkins don't have any fruit yet (although its flowering, so I guess they're not far behind) I haven't. Now its rained a bit they're going nutty though - you can see them growing!
Perhaps someone else will have something more helpful to add?!
I've got huge amounts of fruit, it's a green variety, some are huge now, how do I know when they'e ready? (Only ever had a few before that have stayed obn the vine till October
We have planted both pumpkins and marrows on the top of a five year old horse manure and straw muck heap and all the plants have gone'bannanas'
My mate and I inspected them last night. They have grown like triffids. There are dozens of fruits . They've completley covered the heap and started up the hedge. We pinched as many of the ends out that we could reach . My friend is really pleased with the result as he has a show in a few weeks.
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 06 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: pumpkins
crackapple wrote:
the pumpkins are going great but does taking the leaves off make any difference? we were told that it helps as it focuses all the plants energy into the growth of the fruit.
As leaves are pretty essential in collecting the energy, I can't see the logic there
judith
Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 22789 Location: Montgomeryshire
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 06 1:58 pm Post subject: Re: pumpkins
Rob R wrote:
crackapple wrote:
the pumpkins are going great but does taking the leaves off make any difference? we were told that it helps as it focuses all the plants energy into the growth of the fruit.
As leaves are pretty essential in collecting the energy, I can't see the logic there
Would it help with ripening the pumpkins once they are grown?
I've read about pruning the vegetation if it gets too large for the space available & taking off some of the fruit to make the others grow bigger, but nothing so far on taking leaves off to benefit the fruit. Personally I just cut it back if it starts blocking out other crops.
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 06 7:43 pm Post subject: Pumpkins
Generally I leave them until the first frost is forecast, to give them the longest time to ripen. If the leaves start to die back earlier, it is a good sign that they're ready.
For a full sized pumpkin I would expect at least five good sized fruits per plant, with more for smaller varieties. If more are being produced late in the season, I cut them back then so that the plant concentrates it's enegy into the fruits that have long enough to ripen. Other than that, I agree with Rob R, and only cut leaves off if they are smothering something else.
I guess the logic in removing the leaves is to only remove those that are shading the fruit, this way the fruit may ripen quicker. I can�t see how removing other leaves around the fruit helps, since these leaves are probably the primary source of energy for the fruit.
Slightly off topic, but I also can�t understand why people do this with tomatoes (aside from lower dying leaves and those shadowing the fruit)?
Slightly off topic, but I also can�t understand why people do this with tomatoes (aside from lower dying leaves and those shadowing the fruit)?
Me neither, I gave it up a couple of years ago
judith
Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 22789 Location: Montgomeryshire
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 06 10:16 am Post subject:
It isn't something I've ever done - that would be far too organised for me - but if you are feeding a high potash feed on a regular basis, there might be some logic in it. Once you have fruit on the vines, you want it to ripen as fast as possible - you don't want more plant, you just want ripe fruit.
Ooh, this is interesting. I'm growing pumpkin for the first time this year (I just have the one plant that a neighbour kindly gave to me) and it's growing so fast that I was wondering if I should pinch out the growing tip or something But after reading this I've decided I won't do.
But after reading this I've decided I won't do.
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