Re: stems affect pumpkin shape

Andy,
     i'm not sure about it affecting "flow', but, on my pumpkin this year,
it has decent shoulders, but i didn't cut the tap roots, the stem as you
said is pointed down, ,and actually the top of thepumpkin has grown over
the stem and the vine, so that if you looked at it from the top down you
would't see the stem, or the vine.

scott







    In an effort to get another technical subject started, let me tell you
all what i've noticed with a few pumpkins.  I need to know if anyone else
has noticed it.  If you cut the tap roots from the stem junction and a
couple on either side of the pumpkin to relieve stem stress before it
happens, the pumpkin will take the shape it is genetically supposed to.
But, if you leave the tap roots and don't do anything, the pumpkin will
lift as it grows, causing the stem to point down.  As long as it isn't a
tall pumpkin and break the stem, there will be more growth on the upper
half of the pumpkin, causing the place where the blossom was to point down.
I have also seen pumpkins become left/right lopsided from pumpkin
positioning when trying for a good angle with the vine.  I think when these
things happen, it pinches one side of the stem slightly, and that effects
the juices flowing to the fruit.  Has anyone else seen this? Any help from
long time growers? Next year, i'll be positioning vines, not fruit[not that
shape is our first concern].

Andy Wolf
Western NY
   
    In an effort to get another technical subject started, let me tell you all what i've noticed with a few pumpkins.  I need to know if anyone else has noticed it.  If you cut the tap roots from the stem junction and a couple on either side of the pumpkin to relieve stem stress before it happens, the pumpkin will take the shape it is genetically supposed to.  But, if you leave the tap roots and don't do anything, the pumpkin will lift as it grows, causing the stem to point down.  As long as it isn't a tall pumpkin and break the stem, there will be more growth on the upper half of the pumpkin, causing the place where the blossom was to point down.  I have also seen pumpkins become left/right lopsided from pumpkin positioning when trying for a good angle with the vine.  I think when these things happen, it pinches one side of the stem slightly, and that effects the juices flowing to the fruit.  Has anyone else seen this? Any help from long time growers? Next year, i'll be positioning vines, not fruit[not that shape is our first concern].
 
Andy Wolf
Western NY
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