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Ct

I grow my long gourds in the same area as my pumpkins. year after year, the LG leaves get dark spots, turn yellow, and then brown. Starts from the bottom up. Get almost no leaves on the vertical side when fruits set. Foilage gets thinner and thinner every year. I've moved the trellis and planting spot several times. Same result. Is it in the soil, something in the air? Even tried spraying the fencing with copper as was recommended. Everything else I grow in the same area is fine.

3/19/2022 9:08:52 PM

50 Acres

Quite a puzzle. Is there residue from something on the fencing? Jim

3/19/2022 9:28:44 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Hi Steve I have the same problem. I sent pics to Western Labs and they said it looks like Bacterial Leaf Blight caused by Xanthomonas. It is spread by water droplets. They said it makes sense that it spreads from the bottom up in that the leaves closest to the ground are splashed with the rain most often.
I also sent pictures to Matt DeBacco. He said he has seen this before but has not found a great way to stop it. He heard that aggressively sanitizing the trellis can help. He has found that copper or Agri-phos (or Ailette) can slow it down - but spray them 10 days apart. He is not sure if it’s bacterial or fungal and the progression seems systemic which adds to the complexity. He said it doesn’t fit the list of diseases he is familiar with.
Steve, that’s all I have to offer. I am growing long gourds again this year but am very disheartened already.
Good luck!
Gerry K.

5/1/2022 4:44:00 PM

Partlow,Va

They do the same thing for me. The vine will leak black juice near the base as well sometimes. I think its bacterial as well. One year I grew bushel gourds in a virgin spot and two of three did the same thing.
I am leary of starting or having any lg or bg plants, potted or otherwise, near my melons or kins for it spreading to them. One year I had nice potted LG get bacterial leaf spot in my house. I don't know how to correct this. Maybe it seed/species related?

5/2/2022 8:56:47 AM

Springfield, VT

I have the same thing in the patch. It appears to be in the soil but moves around easily. It is weather dependent when it really hits. To slow progress up the long gourds I remove the first couple of feet of leaves. Copper seems to slow it down. It will hit the gourds, cucumbers and watermelon at different rates mid to late season.

5/2/2022 12:02:09 PM

Jericho Vermont

Seems like it is related to water and humidity issues. I am going to try something different this year to see if it makes a difference. I also spray copper fungicide early and keep it going every 10 days or so.

5/2/2022 5:32:10 PM

Grittyville, WA

Try solarization? Thats my plan, because I'm going to try using the same spot, yet again. Bleach the trellis?

5/2/2022 5:36:18 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

I used to have the same problem when I grew at my moms house Steve. I went for years with no problems and then for a 3 year stint the leaves would get brown spots and the plant just gave up. I tried digging a good size pit with different sterilized soil added but for me it didn't help. I finally gave up on growing them there. The pumpkins were not affected at all. I like Johns idea with the copper sulfate.

5/3/2022 9:37:57 AM

Team Canuckle Heads

Headline AMP® fungicide is a broad-spectrum fungicide containing 2 active ingredients, pyraclostrobin and met- conazole.
This works for the disease that I get
, it sounds like the same thing.
Spray before onset and weekly after that.

5/3/2022 4:28:11 PM

Ct

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I'm starting a new trellis in a different location in the patch. Will spray more frequently. Some good products to try in here. Good luck everyone.

5/8/2022 9:52:27 PM