2002 pumpkin propagation "stump experiment" results...

Merry Christmas to all! For those growers wondering what I've learned from
2002's pumpkin propagation experiments, here is the latest info....

There were several interesting discoveries I made in 2002. A lot of growers
wondered if a clone plant might be hindered without a "main stump". Since I
have not had enough years worth of research to prove or disprove this theory,
I cannot rule out anything yet. This last year I did have one clone to do some
experiments with, and I used it to see if it could be forced into developing a
stump area with a central root area. I found that it very well can, and will,
if the right conditions exist for the cutting initially once it is put
outdoors.
What I did was take the plant out of the pot it last rooted in when it was
indoors, and transplant the cutting into the soil with only the new tip of the
plant exposed. I pruned back all of the side shoots that were attempting to
shoot out on all the leaf nodes as well as all of the oldest leaves, then
buried it 3 to 4 inches below the soil. I allowed the last of the larger
leaves to remain, but also buried that leaf. The tip of the cutting stuck out
about 3 to 4 inches from where the rest of the plant was buried. I initially
gave the plant some Hormex Root Stimulator B-1, and a very weak dose of 10- 52
-10 just once when it was planted. I allowed the cutting to then grow and
root, without watering it for a 4 day period before needing to water it again.
I had a 1/2 inch of straw & grass clipping mix for mulch on the buried area so
the top of the soil would not dry out due to sun or wind evaporation. I used
mostly decomposed straw that was darkest in color so the soil would still heat
up normally like it would if no mulch was on the soil. The grass clippings
were dried out as well for 2 days before they were added, so they were still
dark green and prime for absorbing the suns rays to warm the spring soil as
well.
The cutting began to take off after about day 8-10, showing it was developing
a stronger root system. I carefully monitored daily growth, making certain the
plant did not get too much or too little water during this time.
After about a three week time period, the plant had grown out to a length of
about 7 to 8 feet from the initial buried area, and the newest leaves were
getting much larger than the leaves towards the start of the new plant with
side shoots and trendils exhibiting vigorous growth. It was at this point
where I buried the plants FIRST BIGGEST leaf about 3 inches deep. I cut off
ALL the oldest leaves and any side shoots that were growing before the newly
buried area, but left that part of the plant { the older initial growth }
unburied and exposed. The newly buried leaf node had shot out a root after
just 2 days about 5 inches long with several root hairs everywhere near the
top of the root. I carefully re-buried the newly discovered root, as to not
cause it any possible human error damage, and watered the soil in well at that
area, so it wouldn't have any air pockets from me disturbing the new root. I
used the same Hormex B-1 and 10 - 52 -10 water combo, but added some
feathermeal / greensand / and lime-gypsum combo to the soil first. I mulched
the new rooted area the same way as I did earlier. The tip of the plant was
about 3 feet from the rooted area when I did this. I then allowed all side
vines to grow out, but did not bury any more of the plant, forcing it to
concentrate on rooting at the area that was buried. Since it had only the one
leaf node to root at, and no other leaf nodes were buried, the plant quickly
depended upon that area of the plant for water and nutrients. I found this out
as I pulled some of the mulch back and discovered tiny top roots all over the
soil where the mulch was placed. I did let the plant stress out where the very
initial plant was growing, by discontinuing watering totally where the cutting
initially was buried. I also pulled off all the mulch around the initial
growing area. The plant had no choice at that point but to grow and depend
roots at the area I was training to be the "main stump". Some initial leaf
wilting was noticed, and some sun damage occurred to the first two leaves that
grew after the "stump" area. The overall growth and vigor of the plant though
became noticeably stronger very quickly.
10 days after discovering the new tap root, the plant grew another 7 or 8 feet
in length, and exhibited vigor and growth that a seed grown plant would be
exhibiting. Once the plant reached that point, I began vine burying and vine
pruning like I'd do with a "normal" plant. Since I was not growing the clone
for anything but an experiment, I did not allow it to grow in a very large
space. I gave the plant a 100 Square foot space, and it ended up with about 70
or 80 leaves before running out of room. I set a fruit just for the hell of it
in mid- August. It surprised me by still growing a fruit weighing 251.6.
The clone used was off of a 563 Geerts, which was the only clone I did not
have in my clone greenhouse which I had during the 2001-2002 winter. The
clones I had in there got killed when my timer failed to turn off my heater
and the plants got baked in 119 degree heat. The 563 was in a house window,
and was kept alive for "looks"...LOL! It was grown in 2001 at my "consultant"
patch in Adam Eiffler's yard, and was wiped out by a hail storm that season.
By fall the 563 plant still ended up trying a late season comeback, sprouting
enough side branches and leaves for it to exist on until I made a cutting off
of it. I add this information since everyone would wonder "well, what was the
cutting from and what did it do the previous year?" It really wasn't intended
to be put in the patch, but I used it to experiment on for the purpose of
finding out if a cutting could develop a "stump" or a "main root" area. I
found this research and experiment to be worthy of my time, and possibly may
help those growers who are planning to put in clones this spring.
I continue to feel propagation is an excellent technique available to growers
to use for mainly breeding purposes. Having a plant around to use as a male
pollinator which all characteristics are already known should help make cross
breeding much more interesting. Growers must use male pollen from plants which
look as a good cross on paper, without knowing what the plant will end up
doing by seasons end. I know from the past how I wished I crossed my fruit
with a different male plant instead of the plant I ended up using as a
pollinator. Had I known that another plant would exhibit super characteristics
or desired traits, I obviously would have made a genetic cross which I'd be
more confident about what the seeds offspring might produce. I'm sure I cannot
be the only grower to have wished I made a different cross!
Any questions you might have about this hopefully is answered here, but feel
free to e mail me if there is something I failed to cover or something else
not mentioned here.

Marc "Madman" Sawtelle

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