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North Ga

It looks as though all of my plants have a mild case of mosaic. I've been researching all morning and everything points to it. I cut off the vines that were mostly affected. The good news is that I read that mature plants with fruit set might make it to harvest. Fruit are set on 455, 625.4 and 421. Time will tell. If anybody has any suggestions as to what else can be done, Please post here or e-mail me. Thanks

6/4/2002 12:14:56 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey Pappy sorry to here about the problem. Last year my plant started to wilt badly and thought it was a borer or something. Started to apply Sevin and it came back. I burned a few tips withit but now suspect it was grubs and the sevin got them and the roots came back. hope springs eternal. Just did a site search on mosaic virus doesn't look good. at least this year there were males!! chuck

6/5/2002 12:53:10 PM

South Hill, Virginia

I think there a several lesser problems that look like mosaic. I know I've a damaged are crinkled leaves that scared me for awhile. Bruiser had a legimate bout with it last year so you may want to check out his diary for 2001.

6/5/2002 1:11:51 PM

Santa Clara, California

All (4) my plants too in my larger patch got the mosaic virus. They started well but they stopped growing in the 3rd week after transplant. All new leaves from then on were small, curled, folded, and never opened up, and the roots are few and on top, they look like short curved white worms. It is tragic for me because I am working with very limited space in my backyard. My other patch is barely 8 square foot. I have to be very careful with it because the infested patch is only 10 feet away. I read that the virus is highly contagious. A scientific lab in Ohio is has been working on anti-virus against Mosaic but so far it is not working. Looks like my premium backyard space cannot be used anymore for good. However, I spared the best looking sick plant for male flowers ( Is this a good idea?).
Mr. E

6/5/2002 7:09:47 PM

Utah

Mr. E
I don't think it's a good idea to keep around
any part of an infected plant. yank'em bag'em
and put them out with the trash.

6/6/2002 10:06:48 AM

North Ga

I jumped the gun about the mosaic. All new growth is looking normal again and plants are flourishing. This game is so exciting!!!! Never a dull moment!

6/6/2002 10:57:13 AM

ipswich, ma usa

Go Pappy!!

6/6/2002 11:06:41 AM

Ga.

Glad to hear Brian!!

6/6/2002 12:09:41 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Great to hear Pappy... Sometimes the Sevin makes the leaves a little bumpy I guess if I mix it to strong.It is scary I was out there this morning going oh no mosaic virus..Just applied sevin and daconil yesterday!! will wait and see!

6/6/2002 3:56:12 PM

Long Island,New York

Very often when you spray chemicals on the vine tips the next leaves that come open are deformed and off color. This happens when SEVIN, among others, is applied to new growth, when the mix is too strong, or when you spray at the wrong time of the day. This especially looks like Mosaic..mottling green/yellow colors,damaged leaves with bubble-like surface, and crinkled leaves.
Mosaic is spread by bugs exchanging virus infected saliva with the plants...if it munches on a infected plant and flies over to an uninfected plant and munches out your likely to have two plants infected...thats why you dont want to keep an infected plant around. The infected plant will feed thousands of travelling bugs(ccb's,aphids, whiteflies,etc)who munch and then travel off to infect everyone's plants. They will be "hanging out in the woods" infecting weeds etc and you stand a chance of never being able to grow AG's competitively if you let them feed on "experimental" infected plants. The virus isn't soilborn....so modifications to the soil will have no effect.
Also...if you prune an infected plant make sure you disinfect the tool before pruning other plants. Same goes for your hands and boots after pulling out the bad plant...dont go pinching off tertiaries before you've disinfected yourself......G

6/6/2002 3:59:16 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

The only thing I can add to LIpumpkin is.when he says you don't want to keep the plant around, he means literally. Don't just throw it to the side or put it in a brush pile. It's like a bee's stinger it can still do damage after it has been removed. These plants need to be burned.

7/20/2002 1:19:05 PM