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Western PA

My melons are finished from downy mildew. The bigger of the two is taping between 75 and 80 pounds I believe. The last time I taped them, their growth was about done.They started to show symtoms shortly after fruit set. It started near the stump and slowly worked it's way out killing all the leaves.
Here is a pic of what it looks like on a leaf -
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=140639

This was my first season growing these , and I will grow them again next year.

A question I have is, is it important to spray fungicide under the leaves like on pumpkins ?
I can't see how anyone could even spray under those low leaves. Maybe with a stihl backpack / blower sprayer ?
I will probably just have to spray more often next season.
Lee

7/28/2010 11:50:50 AM

Pataskala,OH

Could be bacterial leaf spot. You can't really do anything to treat bacteria.

7/28/2010 1:22:38 PM

sevierville, Tn

Lee, got to spray before there are problems. Thats the best program.

7/28/2010 2:05:45 PM

Western PA

I started spraying sprayed them in mid June I believe. I would hit them after I sprayed my pumpkins.
One thing that I noticed that is really strange,is that as the leaves got more infected, my 2 fruits got small lumps all over the skin. Just some texture to them that you can feel when you rub your hand over them. Feels like a rough under coating or a rhino liner, or even a basketball.
Has anyone ever had that happen to their melons skin. I will see if I can post a pic of the textured skin.

7/28/2010 3:40:07 PM

Deep South, USA

I had something nail my plants late last year. Killed them before I could get one ripe. It was awful, and fairly quick. Seems like about two weeks or so.

I had small bumps on one of my melons last year, but I don't know if that's what did it.

7/28/2010 4:36:25 PM

Deep South, USA

Update: I just looked at your picture. This looks VERY similar to what my plants had last year.

Does downy mildew survive in the soil over winter?

7/28/2010 4:38:19 PM

Western PA

I did a search under downy mildew and found this . I do not think it will over winter.

" Pathogen biology
P. cubensis is an obligate parasite or biotroph, meaning that it requires live host tissue in order to survive and reproduce. Because of this characteristic, the pathogen must overwinter in an area that does not experience a hard frost, such as southern Florida, and where wild or cultivated cucurbits are present. The spores are dispersed via wind to neighboring plants and fields and often over long distances. Symptoms appear 4 to 12 days after infection. The pathogen thrives under cool and moist conditions, but can do well under a wide range of conditions. Optimum conditions for sporulation are 59° F (15° C) with 6 to 12 hours of moisture present, often in the form of morning dew. Even when high daytime temperatures are not favorable for the pathogen (>95° F or >35° C), nighttime temperatures may be very suitable. Oospores (thick-walled, resting spores) of P. cubensis are rare and their role in nature is unknown."

7/28/2010 6:55:27 PM

Western PA

Yoshi, if your winters stay fairly warm it could overwinter where you are, (deep south).

7/28/2010 6:59:47 PM

Bowdon, GA

I spray every seven days.The bumps sound like signs of the fruit ripening. It is natural on very old melons but yours seem really young to have them. Did you have them shaded? How long since they stopped growing?

7/28/2010 11:00:05 PM

Deep South, USA

Do those bumps indicate a melon is nearly ripe, or just starting to ripen?

My largest melon had bumps on it. When we cut it open, it was still 30% - 40% green. The vine was already dead from whatever hit it, maybe downy mildew.

7/29/2010 12:23:13 AM

Western PA

Jake ,I did have them shaded. I read that downy can make them more susceptible to sun scalding. I could see the one being possibly scalded because I only had a thin white sheet over it, but the other one had a sheet and a tarp over it , so I no for sure that no sun penetrated to the skin on that one. They probably stopped growing within the last 7 days or so. Yes they are pretty young.
I also read that downy can give the melon an off taste. We are going to cut one open for my daughters b-day party next week. It will probably not be ripe so we are planning on carving it into a basket with a handle and putting fruit salad in it.
Good luck to everyone else this season !!!!

7/29/2010 8:09:57 AM