Re: Exploding pumpkins - New theory
- To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Exploding pumpkins - New theory
- From: P*@aol.com
- Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 23:37:07 EDT
In a message dated 4/18/99 10:01:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
SteveS012@aol.com writes:
<< I am thinking that maybe this occurs not just because of an over supply of
water or nutrients at once, but maybe rather an imbalance of
nutrients:water.
When the cells cannot replicate fast enough to hold the water, there is
splitting. Does this sound right?
If there was a way to keep the ratio correct, by suppying the right ratio of
nutriets, temperature, etc. when there is heavy rain, (instead of
WITHHOLDING
nutrients), do you think this might help?
>>
Steve,
Good ideas. We always must keep thinking and trying things. One of the
toughest parts of trying to do research on the Atlantic Giant is that there
is no control. When experimenting with a plant, you normally take an
untreated ( control group), treat the other half of the specimens with less
water, more water, less water with less nutrients, less water with more
nutrients, more water with less nutrients, more water with more nutrients,
more and less water with different nutrients etc., etc. Now you compare the
propensity to split in the different groups. Here comes the problem.....
Lets say you have 10 plants in the control group to compare to. The Atlantic
Giant is so unpredicable that the 10 control plants might exhibit all
different degrees of splitting and non splitting. All treated the same and
all from the same pumpkin. It will make you pull out your hair. If we can get
a plant straightened out genetically, we could have good control
plants....then when you make a change, you could compare it to a good,
consistant control group. So many of us conduct "fly by the seat of your
pants" research while having fun growing pumpkins. I have seen very slow
growing pumpkins split wide open....there's a disturbing piece of research.
Over the last 15 years, the science of giant pumpkin growing has taken many
turns. I remember when the gospel was....set a fruit at least 15 feet out so
you have a big enough root system and number of leaves to support a big
pumpkin.....makes sense....then Don Black came along and set a fruit 4 feet
out on the plant on a side vine and set the world record. You must prune your
plant to get a big pumpkin, Don Black again....unpruned. I still like
pruning, I don't care. The pumpkin must be set on the main vine........Don
Black disproved that one too. I still like the main vine. A 5 segment flower
is best.......many big 4 and 6 segment flowers. Many times we must get up,
dust ourselves off and keep growing. Many of the gospels today, may be
disproven tomorrow....
pumkinguy
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