Cloning news: 1999 plant still alive!

Many growers tossed around the idea this fall of "holding over" pumpkin plants by rooting a vine indoors, right before the fall frosts
hit and ended 1999's plants. The idea of keeping alive a certain genetic plant over winter, and having its exact genetic qualities intact for the next year, seems to be yet another worthy idea that may help growers get bigger varieties. I didn't hear about anyone who had been successful actually accomplishing this experiment in the archive list.
A few years ago, I tried this experiment, with minor success, as I had a plant root, start re-growing, and being kept alive to clone it for a second time. The next clone was not cared for as well as the first, as after getting it to root and grow, I lost interest, and let it die off by November.
This season, although I did not have a world record genetic plant, I decided to try this once again, and keep on it this time. I am happy to report I am on the 4th successfully growing cloned shoot now, with this clone almost long enough now to cut and clone a 5th clone! I will do this one more time, just to make sure I have most of the major "bugs" worked out of my methods. Once I see it also is growing successfully and independently, I will not clone any more new shoots, as it is time to spend more time composting and soil building.
I have talked to a few growers about doing this, and I just wanted to let everyone know that this idea can be used during the off season, if someone has another 1190 out there, and has no seed from that strain come October! I must say pumpkin cloning isn't easy, and conditions need to be "just right" at all times, or failure is definite! I have been taking notes, and someday plan to write a "how to" sheet on doing this {hopefully before this summer}.
Those growers who stumble upon this info down the road can e mail me and I will share this info....
                                                       Madman Marc
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