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Southern NH

(I will be posting pictures soon)

(This is my first ever pumpkin!! :-/ )

ok, I had a pumpkin growing for a while, and so I placed some styrofoam under it. Just yesterday I found the pumpkin disconnected from its stem. The styrofoam was at a slight angle, could this have snapped it off? or is it more likely that an animal is too blame? (the only things here are squirels, skunks, and racoons)

With sorrow, I brought the, only, pumpkin indoors for an inspection. It seems to have shallow gouges about 3/4 of an inch deep and about 1 inch long.
Where could these have come from? I didn't see and tooth marks, so it probably wasn't any of my "furry friends".
Do birds make such marks? What about cuecumber beetles?
Any other suggestions?

Also, I found there to be a type of black mildew or fungus growing. It only appears as a black dot fadding into a larger circle. We have had a lot of rain recently, could this be the culprit?

What type of extra care am I supposed to give to the pumpkins? Is there any other type of cusioning that I can offer? Does it need rain protection?

Also, besides this issue, some of the leaves on my plant seemed to turn yellow in spots. Could this be from the hot weather we had (two weeks ago)? (I was gone for a week, so I was unable to water it)


What is the best way for me to get an early start on next year? When am I supposed to germinate the seeds? Plant them outdoors? (they will have a covering to protect from late frosts)

Thank you for your time and energy!

Grow'em Big!

Timothy

9/17/2002 7:55:39 AM

Amherst, WI

I have a pic in my diary of a pumpkin damaged by a raccoon. A bit hard to make out, but, see if it looks like what you got.

9/17/2002 10:08:50 PM

Southern NH

nope, I don't think so.
I posted my pics, so now you can look.

What'da'ya think?

Tim

9/17/2002 10:39:53 PM

Key West, FL

bluey it looked like it aborted, it was all white and stuff before it was off the vine.

9/17/2002 11:29:43 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey Tim, As soon as I saw the first picture I knew that it wasn't gonna be good...then the next entry was the post mortem...It looks like ya got either Gummy Stem Blight which leads to Black Rot or Anthracnose which is about the same anyway the outcome is the same ...aborting rotted fruit. The GSB likes cooler moist temperatures to really spread in any case the only cure is rotation of crops. The patch has to sit fallow for a year and two would be better. The pathogens of the disease are soil born and winter over in the patch. Any vine growing plants will catch it and sustain it for years. will post some pictures of mine later. When its hot and dry the pumpkins look fine, first rain they whiten up and black spots appear they're through. If they're small they rot and fall off quick the basketballs take a little longer....Sorry dude...start looking for a new patch area...what was growing in the patch before you tried pumpkins...cucumbers maybe? Chuck

9/18/2002 4:03:32 AM

Southern NH

It was a empty spot in my backyard that hasn't been used for anything in many, many years. Is there anyway to avoid moving my garden? I have a prety big back yard, but most of it is being used by other people. Plus, the yard gets very little sun ;-(

9/18/2002 8:16:18 AM

Southern NH

Can this thing be killed with fungicide? is there no hope for my pumpkins this year? Is there no hope??

9/18/2002 10:57:39 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

Bluey: i'm sorry to say it's too late, frost is just around the corner! i'd start making plans for next year!

Glenn

9/18/2002 11:49:29 AM

Southern NH

But is there anything I can do next year to keep this from coming back?? I don't have anywhere to move my garden.

9/18/2002 12:38:26 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

Bluey: it can be controlled with funjicides, but what i ment is that it is too late in the season to produce a pumpkin of any considerable size.

Glenn

9/18/2002 12:48:52 PM

Southern NH

Yes, I understand this year is lost.....
but now that I know about the fungus and the cuecumber beetles, I'll be ready for them next year!

Is there a specific type of fungicide I need?
Are there any other things I need to worry about? other diseases?

Could you take a look at the photo I posted of my neighbors watermelon plant? Is it diseased? If so, what could I tell him to use next year to fight it?

Where is the best place to buy seeds for next year? Should I order them this winter? How early can I start the seedlings?

9/18/2002 1:23:52 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

Yes the plant has powdery mildew as someone else has already diagnosed, and yes it can and will spread to your plant, you need a funjicide there are many daconil is what i use also i have heard of baking soda as a treatment i've tried it and i have had no real results, get rid of all the plant material do not compost it throw it out with the trash, you do not need to buy seeds they will be offered here in a month or so, or just ask the growers online they will most likely send you some.

good luck keep thinking of next year!!??

Glenn

9/18/2002 2:33:09 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Tim, if it was the first year then you might get by by removing any traces to the plant. The virus is spread on rainy days if someone has the virus in there soil and walks through it an touches your plant then you have it, this year it will get into your soil. Do a google search on diseases of cucurbits there are a multitude of suggestions on fungicide, ridamil etc... looks like some sort of copper base is the most recommended treatment but even there it sez rotation of crops is only Known cure. I hope this helps 2nd year with the problem and man it hurts to know you only have one shot at it and it doesn't have a chance if ya water it!!! Good luck Timbo! hope this helps. Chuck

9/18/2002 4:20:11 PM

Southern NH

Glenn, who said it was powdery mildew? I didn't see any post regarding it. I'm sorry if I asked again.
Have you ever had GSB? Did Daconil solve it?


Chuck, Have you ever had trouble with GSB?
Do you know what would have caused the gashes in the pumpkin?

When is the best time to start the seeds? I want to start them as early as I can. (this year was much, much too late. The plant had 3-4 adult leaves by the timeI planted it)

9/18/2002 7:44:59 PM

Key West, FL

i said powdery mildew in the post with your name in general dis. i saw your diary and thought i would tell you about your problems berfore i saw this one.

9/18/2002 8:26:34 PM

Southern NH

I'm sorry. I don't usually look anywhere else for posts. I hope I didn't offend you.

Tim

9/18/2002 9:01:21 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Yo Tim, I went through the photos again...The scratches could just be leaf stalk damage. We all had a pretty good dose of wind last week or so and the leaves brushing against the soggy skin would scratch it up pretty good even a young healthy pumpkin would get some damage let alone one that was aborting with the blight. Look close at the watermelon plant definitely looks like powdery mildew but some of the leaves are yellowing very simular to the blight. Might be where your's came from...check his fruit is it doing good or not. I will get some shots tomorrow and post them yes I have either GSB or Anthracnose will do a tissue sample at year end to figure out which but in either case the patch is going to be used for something other then vining plants for the next 2 years... I hope Alun's onions and Carrots!!! hint hint!...Went away this weekend and had five set all but two couldn't take the rain and are white and black dotted...will see if the others get it now make take a little longer...Daconil doesn't seem to help once the white bloaty skin starts showing only a matter of days before their done. matter of fact the watering that goes along with the daconil only seems to excelerate the demise. when I stopped watering the plant I started to set multiple pumpkins as soon as I watered them it started again! will send ya some shots tomorrow. Best of luck! Chuck

9/18/2002 9:23:28 PM

Key West, FL

no you didnt offend me, there is nothing to kill the disease chuck? you are gonna miss 2 years?

9/18/2002 11:52:14 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Nah Benface, I have been working all summer cutting trees and chipping the patch was a converted vegtable garden. I used to some tomatoes,peppers, and cucumbers in, grew an 80 lb big max in a few years back..but have been having trouble ever since...cucumbers never made it the last few years so the soil was contaminated for awhile..Now know what the problem is will convert back to veggies...no vines!! was only 15X15 growing area. will now have 45X60 with a watering pond..so will take years to get soil down there I'm looking forward to seeing a full size plant...

9/19/2002 7:51:56 AM

Southern NH

His oldest watermelon plants are dead, leaving behind the watermelons. The younger vines are being chased my something, because a few feet back all the leaves are dying. He had a nice fruit growing but now it has stopped and the end is turning yellow. His garden has been there for 1-2 years.

Growing pumpkins is sounding harder and harder. There has to be some type of way to ward off these diseases, bugs, and watering issues.

I currently live in a apartment building, where the owner doesn't want to pay the water bill of us using the watering hose.
Plus, he doesn't want me growing them in the from yard..... I mean come on, huge leaves and vines covering the whole frontyard, wouldn't that attract more tennants? LOL

I've grown up in this house for nearly my whole life, but now it is starting to be constricting. I can't wait to move! Then I'll be able to dedicate a much bigger, sunnier lot of space to my growing, and, I'll have a hose to water and dispense fungicide & insecticide.

Sorry. IKËÚ
just am a little frustrated.

Tim

9/19/2002 9:21:44 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hang in there Buddy, Put some of the pictures in my diary to show ya. You might have just had a late abort and have nothing wrong in that patch at all. Take a look at these picture will send more to ya via email. Good luck! Chuck

9/20/2002 12:09:12 PM