Re: 2000# Pumpkin Paradox

Rick,
Plants grow vegetatively and reproductively.  Daylength determines when they
flower.  I believe that water and nutrients flow in one direction in the stem.
I may be wrong.  Why do peanuts and potatoes grow under the soil?  Anyway my
thought is that the more leaves and stem preceding the fruit the bigger the
pumpkin.  The vine and leaves preceding the fruit would feed the fruit.  The
vine and leaves growing beyond the fruit do not contribute to the growth of
the pumpkin.  It would be interesting to feed the distal leaves and or roots
some carbon 14 to see if nutrients flow back to the fruit.  Sounds like a
masters degree project.  The US Govt has a big greenhouse and agricultural
research facility somewhere in MD.  Maybe they already know the answer to this
question.  I bet Joe Mills or Beth Rado could find us some US Agricultural
Dept. websites to start posting questions on.  Most of the answers to the
questions we have on this list could probably be answered by research.  Our
intentions to grow big pumpkins seem only to feed our egos.  If we really
cared we'd go back to school to find the answers.  Are there any plant
phisiologists on the list? We need one to pick his or her brain.  Why don't we
invite a few to join the list.  Send them some seeds.  Who are the pumpkin
experts at the Agricultural Universities on this continent?  
It's fun to read your postings Rick,  you're a sharp individual.
Patrick
Tell me there is someone out there that grows these things for the fun of it!
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