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formerly RGG

Last year I used peroxide on my CC vines.It was an attempt to deliver additional oxygen to the plant roots. I haven't much idea of the effect it had on the growth of my melons as I believe my soil was way out of line and I just wasn't going to have a great year anyway. This year I think I have fine soil and awesome plants but I am facing a big bad problem due to my plants being grafted onto squash roots. I have already lost one plant to stump rot and most of the others are leaking out of dark brown spots on their stumps. I have sprayed the stumps directly with strong solutions of systemic fungicides and I am not sure if it is helping much. So this evening I took a spray bottle and filled it with about 10% isopropyl alcohol and the rest hydrogen peroxide. And I sprayed all my grafted stumps real good with it. I have an idea this will at least buy me some time with my stump rot problem and perhaps even allow me to grow some mature melons. Any thoughts on my doing this or any suggestions beyond using fungicides and keeping the stumps as dry as possible ?

6/17/2012 12:10:19 AM

Canton Ohio

In my experience you have a pumpkin virus and that my friend cannot be cured with any fungicide or chemical. Though it is an emotionally tough thing to do, I would pull all your plants and remove the top foot of soil from your patch or find a new patch for next year. You might have a tissue test performed first if you need another opinion, but the longer you wait the stronger the virus takes hold and the harder it is to get rid of for next year.

6/17/2012 7:00:41 AM

South East

dennis, we have had stump issues on pumpkin plants. Although much bigger, heres what we do.
First on we operate on them. Brown areas get scraped off, or if deep enough cut out. Once free of the brown rot, we use straight bleach on a cloth and rub the areas thouroughly, to kill what ever might be left in there of micro organisms. Then we put a fan on it, to dry it out. In trying to prevent further rotting, keeping it dry is the key. Then lastly we dust the area with sulphur. After that, the area will be fanned 24/7 and wil be covered with something to prevent it from getting wet.
This tactic has enabled us last year to save stumps long enough to grow mature fruit. Getting it off, and keeping it dry after are essential though, or it wil just spread. Fungicides dont always help as it sometimes is a bacterial problem. Hope this helps.
preventing further rotting

6/17/2012 7:37:38 AM

Muddy Waters

Dennis can you post a picture of these brown spots on your diary?

6/17/2012 8:29:58 AM

Marshall, MI

Dennis,do you have any plants that are not grafted?
If you do how do there stumps look?

6/17/2012 10:44:48 AM

formerly RGG

Frankie, I am not willing to pull all of my plants on a good guess.I will do my best to try to make a season out of it and take any necessary corrective measures in the fall.

6/17/2012 12:48:30 PM

formerly RGG

Cooks, I really appreciate you advice. I will do my best to follow what I can of your advice plus whatever else I can figure out to do.

6/17/2012 12:50:11 PM

formerly RGG

Mark, pictures are going up soon.

6/17/2012 12:50:34 PM

formerly RGG

Bill, the only plant I have that isn't grafted this year is a Atlantic Giant growing in straight manure in my new lower garden. I am fairly certain it is headed for disease issues also. This problem, whatever it is, is systemic I think. I have now noticed the sap loss occurring as much as a foot or more from the stump on my main vines. I believe my prognosis may be very poor.

6/17/2012 12:55:36 PM

Muddy Waters

Wow Dennis those vines & stumps are huge.The brown spots remind me of my foaming stump on the kins,how much water are you giving these plants?Just food for thought.Im no X-spurt

6/17/2012 8:47:48 PM

formerly RGG

Mark, I am watering them a LOT. I am still trying to blow up a melon. lol

6/17/2012 9:07:11 PM

Muddy Waters

Maybe its too much water causing the problem

6/17/2012 9:40:49 PM

Muddy Waters

Maybe its too much water causing the problem

6/17/2012 9:40:54 PM

formerly RGG

Maybe Mark, but I won't back off from my watering. My soil is VERY well drained and I think I need to water a lot to grow big melons. This evening I worked on my plant with the largest melon on it. I cut out a large area of landscaping cloth and bird netting and put dirt and myco around several vines in the hope of them rooting enough to keep a melon growing by the time the stump dies.

6/17/2012 10:13:14 PM

formerly RGG

I also purchased 2 gallons of 40% hydrogen peroxide to water the roots with and to spray on the stumps.

6/17/2012 10:14:31 PM

Muddy Waters

Just trying to help.I noticed those dark wet joints on my kins prior to the foamer.I was watering real heavy prior to that.Good Luck I hope you do well!

6/17/2012 10:16:27 PM

formerly RGG

I know that Mark and I do appreciate your help.

6/18/2012 7:25:51 AM

Bottom of ohio

with a grafted plant, not trying to be stupid, is the issue a squash issue or a melon issue. squash plant roots may not be able to handle all the water, just a thought

6/18/2012 10:38:33 PM

Muddy Waters

Bill maybe be right,you may not blow up a melon just a vine or stump.

6/19/2012 5:58:50 AM

formerly RGG

Bill, I think it is more of a squash grafted stump issue. But water I must. I am hoping hydrogen peroxide will provide enough additional oxygen to help with the problem.I have also cut landscaping cloth from a large area around one plant in an effort to root the melon vine in case the stump dies. Sometimes you can keep one going from vine roots only.

6/19/2012 8:23:09 AM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

Wonder if the landscaping cloth is absorbing the suns heat and cooking the ground.

6/19/2012 10:28:02 AM

formerly RGG

My leaves are really thick in most places and I think they keep the ground cool enough. Thanks for the thought though.

6/19/2012 6:35:02 PM

Alaska

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To bad watermelons are as vigorous rooting down at leaf sections as punkins. I'd cut my loses and move on. It seems grafted plants aren't all they cracked up to b, IMHO.

6/19/2012 10:12:35 PM

Bottom of ohio

im deff not a good grower of melons, but i listen and watch well. but at least Dennis you will be able to say that grafted is good, or no good with CC melons, maybe good on eaters, ( less water ) but not so good on Monsters CC. but i do hope you get it figured out, want to see how you do this year, good luck........... grow a biggen

6/19/2012 10:23:51 PM

formerly RGG

Thanks for all the input guys. I am hanging on for now. The plants look great and the stumps remain fragile.

6/20/2012 12:05:48 AM

Muddy Waters

The grafted plants will surely get there chance to prove themselves,with one in the melon cave & one in Chris Kents patch.I heard a rumor A nice lady in the Carloina's is growing a dozen or so.So the jurys out,let the nail biting begin.little early to make any calls on grafted melons folks.

6/20/2012 6:42:03 AM

sevierville, Tn

so far i'm impressed with the grafted plant. Wish i had more plants then just the one to compair to. We will know by seasons end if there is a future in grafted plants. Doesn't matter how good they do now, they have to make it to the end. I had a plant last year (my 113) that was 15 lbs ahead of my 291's pace at the same age....plant looked great.... lost the vine to rot at day 50. final weight was 210.

6/22/2012 6:07:29 AM

Valencia Spain

hi td i was wondering cause u pruned the plants could that be a factor in leaking stumps??

6/23/2012 10:45:10 AM

formerly RGG

Westham, I suppose that trimming my plants could raise the pressure of the sap and make leaking stumps worse. But trim I must.

6/23/2012 4:11:58 PM