Early trauma
First of all, I want to thank everyone who responded to my "leafless, buried
vine" inquiry last week. Good thoughts and observations! I will probably
try it to some extent this season and will let you all know how it works.
Now. One of the seeds I've started was sent to me in a plain envelope. It
must have gone through some post office machine, because the seed was
cracked and in one spot the edge of the seed was completely broken off. I'm
pretty sure the seed would dry out and not germinate if I tried to hold it,
but I thought it might be okay now since the damage was recent.
Sure enough, it germinated. So far just the cotyledons are out. This
seedling isn't quite as aggressive as the other one I started at the same
time AND in the spot where the seed edge was broken, there are damaged spots
on each leaf, although overall it looks okay.
I would like you all to wrestle with your intuitions a bit... Will that
early trauma to the seed shadow this plant's entire existence??
I ask this because last year I grew a Wallace 567.4, which early on had its
main vine smashed into ribbons by a careless tree cutter. The plant seemed
to recover and appeared to be robust and aggressive, but I could never set a
proper pumpkin on the darned thing. I can't help but wonder if the vine
smashing incident played a part in that.
I KNOW this question is not completely answerable. Even growing the plant
out won't answer it, because there are too many other variables. But I know
a lot of you will have gut feelings about this. What are those gut
feelings? Can you toss this "early trauma" question around a little bit
with me?
Thanks!
Beth
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