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Manchester, TN

I've never lost a plant before this year. I've lost 2 now. My 255 Mitchell went down on July 3rd, and 110 Bright went down on July 7th. With the 110, I noticed the afternoon before it went down that one of the vines leaves looked to be laying lower, it still got a little life around the melon that's on it where some nodes had rooted. I'm still not sure what's getting them. I believe either the squash bugs or the Bayer tree and shrub I put on again on June 30 got them.

So now I'm paranoid I'm going to lose more. I'm trying to talk myself into trimming some vines, but have never done it, and afraid I'll screw up what I have left.

7/10/2012 10:18:59 AM

Corryton, TN

Doesn't sound like squash bugs to me from what If've seen here if your refering to yellow vine. The ones that I've lost to it turned yellow over a period of days then went down. I woke up to a collapsed plant yesterday. I suspect too much fert. Plant was green and beautiful.

7/10/2012 10:29:41 AM

Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee

Jeb, Dave, I'm in "The Troubles I've Seen" boat with you. About 10 days ago three of my eleven hills began showing yellow discoloration. Within 48 hours, the leaves began turning to "crisp"--the malady spreads outward from the crown and seems to affect older leaves first.
Took samples to UT Extension Service for a diagnosis. Paraphrasing their finding---"I ain't got good news, Mister Melon Grower." What he found:
A) Anthracnose
B) Spider Mites
C) Aphids
Recommendation: Start now preparing for next year. After harvesting current crop (if any) clear field of all vines and burn residue,then till as deep as possible to bury top layer of soil. Solarizing soil might help, but it is very difficult to set this process up properly. Begin weekly preventive sprayings as soon as plants begin to run.
As to 2012: It's late in the season to fully reverse current maladies, but you might try any of several fungicides listed for antracnose, plus Safer Brand End All for the bugs.
Frustrating ain't it?---and just when things looked so promising with my joining the 200 pound club a real possibility. Oh well. Regards, Clutch

7/10/2012 1:05:24 PM

Corryton, TN

Went out to pull plant. Found the hole of a vole or mouse at the base of mine.

7/10/2012 6:15:42 PM

formerly RGG

Jeb, I saved one of my plants by severely pruning it as soon as it looked like it was going to go down. I believe these plants have a lot better chance of survival by improving the root to vine ratio when they are under great stress.

7/10/2012 6:18:48 PM

Bethlehem CT

I hear all of you, I am struggling too. I have never had so many problems as I have this year. The thing that makes me really upset is that we are finally having a really good melon growing summer. It is hot and dry. (Thankfully not as hot as you guy though!)

7/10/2012 8:51:13 PM

sevierville, Tn

I hate spider mites, after not haveing them for years, i got them last year, & now in a new area, they showed up again 3 days ago. Must be the hot dry weather we had. Well its raining every day now, not that that helps, just washes the spray off :( going to put my plant in the washing machine if this keeps up ! Anyone have a good cure, please post it .....these SOB'S will destroy a plant quickly.

7/11/2012 5:49:12 AM

South East

bifen it and neem oil for spidermites, copper for anthracnose and merrit for spidermtes. (dont eat em when their ripe)

7/11/2012 6:18:17 AM

Bethlehem CT

I have always had mites come in to ruin my season in August. I have been having good success in the greenhouse with stylet mineral oil. They say as long as you apply the stuff in the morning or evening when it is below 90 degrees you should be Ok.

7/11/2012 8:22:14 AM

sevierville, Tn

Wow, this is interesting...

The spider mite feeds on an astonishingly large number of plants because it withstands the toxins that plants produce. This in itself is an amazing feat. However, among arthropods (animals with exoskeletons, such as spiders, ticks and insects), the spider mite holds first place in the number of pesticides it is resistant too. Mites become resistant to new pesticides within two to four years, meaning that control of multi-resistant spider mites has become increasingly difficult.

Having the sequence of the spider mite genome has revealed the genetic basis for its feeding flexibility and pesticide resistance. The secret lies in having more of specific genes, and in greater variety. On the one hand, when compared to insects, the spider mite has more copies of the genes involved in digesting and degrading plant toxins. On the other, the tiny pest seems to have incorporated genes from bacteria and fungi that are involved in digestion and detoxification.

7/11/2012 12:50:34 PM

Linden, Mi.,

smoky, Safer (brand) Insect Killing Soap, seems to work for us up here.

7/11/2012 3:36:05 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I know that we are growing melons for size, but I always worry about making them toxic to eat. It just seems un-natural to me. Oh well, lucky for me lots of the things you have mentioned are not occurring in my garden yet.

7/11/2012 6:08:21 PM

Bethlehem CT

Luckily their are numerous predatory mite species that feed on the harmful ones. Without the predatory mites, what would stop them?

7/11/2012 7:50:28 PM

Southeast Texas

spider mites are killing my plants too.i use dishwashing liquid for afids and stink bugs that works fine,but it dont kill spider mites..i even used talstar with no luck..good thing they hit late for me on my 291.

7/11/2012 8:37:26 PM

Watervalley Ms

I bought some bayer that said it was good on spider mites did not use it because could not eat the fruit, tomatoes is what they were on. I think i saw one on a watermelon plant. I used neem oil on my tomatoes 2 table spoons per gallon sometimes twice a day no more than three days before you spray. Try at own risk, may use just one tablespoon

7/11/2012 10:41:07 PM

Bethlehem CT

A lot of the stuff that says it will kill mites, are weakly effective at best. I have heard the best stuff to use is called Avid. (this stuff will cost you big time) but it is supposed to be one of the best out there if you are trying to avoid the light oils. There is a cheaper miticide called floramite. You probably are not going to find these at home depot you might have to order through the mail from a Rose place. I think one was called rosemania.

WV I am surprised the bayer said it would control mites. It must have had another active ingredient besides imidacloprid.( Because imidacloprid will not control mites.) They have done research with imidacloprid to control scale insects on hemlock. One of the side effects of the use of imidacloprid can be a heavy infestation from mites. I don't know if that kind of relationship would carry over to melons. But I have always been suspicious of it.

7/12/2012 8:31:31 AM

Watervalley Ms

I don,t know what the ingredient's were in the bayer, but the bayer was for rose's and shurb's. I got the bayer from home depot.

7/12/2012 1:56:11 PM