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Commack, NY

Okay, im hoping someone can shed some light on this for me. My best plant (well of course!) now looks like it's ready for the big compost pile in the sky. My others look fine. All looked perfect this morning, but something happened, and im not sure if it was something that i did, or not.

i was using the weed wacker to get those pesky blades of grass around the fence. the patch is .....oh, say 10 feet from the fence. Due to the orientation of my plants, this one is closest to the fence. I didnt go near the patch during this event, but i did notice that the machine was leaking fuel from the cap, and was dripping on the ground. Again, this was near the fence, not near the patch. Is it possible that the weed wacker blew some of the fuel out toward the plant? what about exhaust? could that have had an effect? My other plants are fine, but this one looks like something stripped layers of the leaves off, it almost looks like sunburn, but it isnt. The plant is not heat stressed at all. Currently i have the sprinklers on to try and maybe wash off anything that may have gotten on it, just looking for answers here, not counting on ths one producing much at this point. thanks.

Scott

7/4/2005 1:36:19 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Fuel can leak from the cap, the tank vent or the crankcase seals &/or gasket if the thing is really beat. Liquid anything coming out of the exhaust is also a sign of a spent wacker.

The rotating line can also whip sand at velcoties capable of destroying leaves.

Was the exhaust aimed at or near the plants?

7/4/2005 7:08:04 PM

Commack, NY

i was thinking exhaust also. it could have been thrown in that direction. its strange. it definitely affected the leaves closer to where i was standing, as opposed to the leaves farther away. No question there. it looks like sunburn, but ive never seen sunburn on mature leaves before, and not like this, its pretty extensive. Plant looked perfect this AM. Just checked and it seems like there were no other leaves affected. i just want to find out what it was, so that i dont do it again.

7/4/2005 10:38:03 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Run that wacker again at the same time of day. Aim the exhaust at a differnt plant (that you don't care about).
Keep in mind that leaking fuel would be blown by the fins on the flywheel, so have the same amount of fuel in it. You might also try aiming it at a sheet of newspaper. Tape a sheet to a garage or shed. The fuel should speckle the paper.

7/5/2005 5:25:03 AM

Commack, NY

Im gun shy now, so maybe i'll try the paper method. There's no other feeling in the world quite like ruining your best plant in your best soil.

7/5/2005 9:04:17 AM

Montoursville, PA

I'm thinking mechanicaly thrown abrasives. At some distance I doubt that it was exaust with oil or gas content above normal. Think if it was you would have been smoking up a storm or smelling fresh gas, to alert you.

I have damaged leaves going by with the lawn mower discharge aimed the wrong way. I have been known to be picking straw out, of pumpkin, that stuck, in my 410 two years ago. :)

7/5/2005 10:20:30 AM

Commack, NY

i posted a few pics, tell me what you think.

7/5/2005 4:10:11 PM

Lexington, Ky

I had a wasp problem close to my Big Max patch last year. I got popped twice one afternoon and decided to go after them with a glass full (16 ounces or so) of 50:1 two cycle fuel. I threw it up in the air at the nest (about 12 feet) and got the bees but also "sprayed" one plant bad. The leaves on the gas soaked plant look nothing like your diary pictures. My leaves wilted and "sunk in" where the fuel contacted them...kinda looked the same as when a dog takes a whiz on a leaf....

Those leaves didn't completely die either, they did look like burnt paper where the fuel contacted them but they continued to survive and the plant went on to produce a 75 pound Big Max. If your problem was in fact caused by fuel or exhaust from your weed whacker, I'm betting you'll be OK.

7/5/2005 5:02:45 PM

Long Island,New York

Sure its not from a saved batch of something you sprayed?

7/5/2005 9:10:20 PM

Commack, NY

Last time i sprayed was saturday morning, and i made a batch fresh that day, only because i was too lazy to do it the night before when i asked about it. All plants got the same spray mix, from the same sprayer. The plant didnt exhibit any damage at all until an hour after i used the weed wacker. prior to that it was picture perfect. maybe there was something in the ground that got thrown out and on the plant. it wasnt anything that i put down though that's for sure.

7/5/2005 10:51:09 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Scott,

After looking at the pics from this computer (bad monitor) I'd say "phtotoxicity"....but what from?

Did you try weed wacking your truck as we spoke of yesterday?

I'll look again from the IBM when I get to my office (better monitor).

I still say that Bacterial Wilt, Phyophthora, Rhizoctonia, & Fusarium are slower than your description wiould imply. But we might still get a pathological screen from that place Glenn went to. I can call the boys on the Island since they're who set us up 2 years ago. I can't remember where it is now. Maybe Glenn remebers?

Steve

7/6/2005 5:00:13 AM

Commack, NY

im going to try the weed wacker/truck experiement tomorrow after work.. New leaves are not affected so far. Im up for a pathological screen, what the heck!
Scott

7/6/2005 8:46:02 AM