Squash question - Acorn & Butternut

[Avonnow]

I want you all to know I tried to do some reading before posting so I wouldn't sound like a dufus, but I could find any help. My question... these squashes grows well on a trellis and they usually grow upwards with the tip of the squash plant crawling and attaching itself. IF you should break that top portion off (I did by accident) is the growth now stunted? I have a acorn that the top 4 inches gotten caught on my clothing and snapped. This was about 10 days ago and the plant has gone nowhere, still healthy but not near the size of the others, will it just stop growing - I guess my question is - does that top portion control growth or does it grow from the soil upwards. I hope you understand. I need to know if I should pull it up it is only 2.5 feet high and the flowers on it have died off and it is not growing any higher. Learning everyday!

[rainbowgardener]

I guess no one was really sure they knew the answer to that question! I would think it would still be able to put out side branches, though the one that the tip broke off of is probably stopped. But I hope you left the plant so that you can find out! Let us know what happened!

[TWC015]

Your plant sounds as though it may be too young to produce side shoots, which would cause it to not grow anymore.

I've noticed on winter squash plants that they make other vines where a female flower forms. I don't recall seeing any side shoots where male flowers, but I may have just not ever noticed them.

Side shoot production also probably depends on the variety; last year I had one very large plant that had at least 10 vines that were all at least 10 feet long. I also had some types to make only a few side shoots but had a long main vine. All of these types were C. moschata.

I edited to say that I think you should leave the plant as well. I've seen many plants that appeared dead, but then began to regrow.

[jal_ut]

I would just let it grow. It will most likely send out another vine. The mission of plants is to make seed, and I think this one will do that given some time.

[garden5]

I think you should leave the fruit on. With the main growing tip nipped off, I think that the vine will go into a bit of a "survival mode" and send out some new shoots.