Re: Flower Pruning??
Thomas
Now this brings me back to Horticulture Science class and I will make it
simple BUT you will have to follow me !!! When a plant is growing there is a
Chemical Called AUXIN that builds up in the plant and focusses itself in the
growing points OR Maristims. which are the root tips and vine tips. it makes the
vines grow in singular columns. Pumpkin plants have a good amount of Auxin
keeping the main vine longer then the secondaries. as Pumpkins and Male flowers
form there is a Chemical change in the plant. it is like a Teeter totter. Once
the flowers form a chemical called Gibberelic acid forms and the pendulum swings
from Auxin to Gibberelic Acid that is the point that the plant goes into
MOTHER MODE. the MORE flowers the MORE Gibberelic acid. People have said that they
saw a slowdown in plant growth when the pumpkins really started putting on
weight well this is in large part that the pumpkins Chemistry is blocking the
growth of the plant and not that the plant is not getting enough JUICE !!
One way to prove this is with Cuttings of plants that you are trying to
root. Auxin is the controlling factor for root development so a cutting with
flowers WILL NOT ROOT but pull off the flowers and it works great !!!
YES I have experimented with pulling off the flowers Male and Female and
YES it makes a GIANT difference !! As it goes for your Question let any and all
pumpkins and flowers set and Cull any you don't want when they get in the way
!!!
OK Sorry list I know this is a Pumpkin List but we don't usually talk
about stuff like this but I thought it would shed light on some things !!! Take
care all and have a great Season !!
Kevin Smith
Pumpkin Pirate !!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
