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Location

Message

Date Posted

Knopp, Germany

well, i guess that i'm getting to learn some hard lessons as a newbie. i'v pretty much confirmed mosiac virus on 3 of my 5 plants. had a bad case of aphids a couple of days ago and i'm sure they helped spread it from an infected melon plant. i didn't know what was wrong with the melon, but i'v learned the hard way. the only good news is that i started a new punkin patch about 50 yards away from the garden werew the virus hit and i have 1 plant in it. i am digging and tilling it as the plant grows, hopefully it will survive. question, what can i do to make sure the earth were the present infection is will be okay next year?

thanks for any input, a sad day in germany...owen

6/14/2002 8:04:29 AM

Cologne / Germany

Sorry to hear that Owen. Did you consult a specialist? Some people here had strange symptoms that suddenly disappeared with the next upcoming leaf (like it was for me...)
Hope this turns out good, nevertheless have a nice weekend, with up to 88 F and 80% humidity it will be suptropical here in Cologne...guess pumpkins like that..

6/14/2002 10:23:03 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Owen, I'm sure you read this before Pull all the infected plants and get rid of them Burn them if you can, If I understand correctly the virus is in the plant it cannot be composted. Next year start your bug schedule early. Really can't stop an infected bug from biting but any plants that show signs of this should be removed. Best of luck with the rest of them!

6/14/2002 10:26:54 AM

canal winchester ohio

I had mosiac one year when it was extremely hot, I removed everything out of the patch BEFORE it started to decompose & disposed of it. The following year I grew a 400lber in that exact same spot.

6/14/2002 10:33:56 AM

Knopp, Germany

Just got home from work and it appears that the plant I have in the new (building it still) patch is okay. :-) The rest of the plants in the main garden look bad, except for one, that I will wait on before I pull it.

Floh, how do you translate Mosaic Virus so that I can ask a local expert?

Alexsdad, thanks for the best wishes.

Huff, good to hear that this doesn't mean I can't grow in this spot next year.

6/14/2002 11:04:05 AM

Ga.

Mosaik-Virus is what alta vista translator say's.....

6/14/2002 11:25:47 AM

Indiana

Owen,
Looking at the pic you posted, it doesnt look like mosaic virus to me. I had the virus last year, and it did not manifest it self anything like that.
Tom Beachy
pray it

6/14/2002 1:18:22 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

I wish I had my camera back from the shop. My sevin burn looked exactly like that for several days before it browned out. Then all the new growth looked fine. Mosaic Virus from what I understand will continue on into the new growth. If your new growth past the tip that might have been burned starts out good maybe it's not mosaic virus. Although waiting to find out that it really is might get the good plants infected...Owen it's your call!!! or CUll!

6/14/2002 4:48:03 PM

Cologne / Germany

Did some research on that "Mosaikvirus" on german internet sites and it´s not likely to appear over here - assumed it might not be gentic and came with your seeds. But my leaves looked similar in an early stage - not able to develop these edges. What I read is that mosaiv virus is also like the name tells - spreading mosaic colour structures all over the leaves. Photos dont show this. Be patient and have a steady look at it - I´m also doing fine with a flat vine so far.....:)

6/14/2002 6:11:14 PM

Knopp, Germany

Thanks for all the input guys. after reading everything I decided to only pull two of the plants. Tom, don't know if they had mosaic or not, but they looked real bad, I guess that I decided to be safe rather then sorry. Am really interested in your input, gotta get this learning curve in high gear. I took some pictures, will post as soon as I can get them developed and scanned....wish me luck...owen

6/15/2002 1:09:35 AM

Long Island,New York

Owen....did any of your nieghbors or a local road crew spray vegetation killer recently ?...G

6/15/2002 9:09:14 AM

Knopp, Germany

G...not sure, most of my neighbors are retired so they do there yard/garden work during the day while I'm at work. Though I did see one of them spraying the fence line between our yards after I found the problem. Do you think that this might have something to do with it? One of the plants that I didn't pull is showing a yellowing burned area on the outside of its biggest leaf, some of the other leafs have yellow spots, surprisingly though it is doing the best of the ones in the area that I believe was infected. I turned the film in today and should have it back on Tuesday, I'll scan in the pictures so ya'll can see what they looked like....owen

6/15/2002 10:55:26 AM

Long Island,New York

A friend of mine had a problem last year when his nieghbor sprayed the underdeck areas to kill weeds...apparently it was a 2-4-d herbicide product. The wind either carried it to his own yard or the heat volitized it and it drifted over to the pumpkin patch. In either case, the season was lost and an 846Calai and a 935LLoyd were wasted. He did trials on the plants I believe to confirm what caused the problem and although it looked like mosaic, it was determined to be herbicide(weedkiller) damage. The plant eventually recovered but all hopes at competitive placing were lost. Send him an email...tell him G sent you...he has pictures he can send you...rocky.r@cyberquest.com is his email..........G

6/15/2002 12:09:36 PM

Ga.

I have had my share of problems,,,but managed to get thru most,,Thanks to all on here....But the mosiac is one noone can help with unfortunetly..I'm gonna post some pics...I found some info in Growing Giant Pkins 2 bout mosiac which confuses me..It appears I have watermelon mosiasc,,as well as cucumber mosiac...I have both symptoms on 1 plant....The biggest pkin is 10 days or so past pollination,,and isnt big as a basketball...Appears very slow grower...My problem is I wanna pull this plant.,,and replant...But this book says if a patch has had this disease before,,will have it again.

6/23/2002 1:58:49 PM

Ga.

So,,what should I do??Kilr,G,,everybody,, chime in on this one please.....

6/23/2002 1:59:45 PM

North Ga

I'll let you have a third of my patch next season Jeff!!!

6/23/2002 2:19:54 PM

North Ga

I feel for ya buddy. I had powdery mildew last year that wouldn't quit. It's very discouraging. Hopely the pros can help you straighten it out.

6/23/2002 2:23:41 PM

North Ga

hopefully

6/23/2002 2:24:22 PM

North Ga

How are your plants owen?

6/23/2002 2:25:04 PM

Long Island,New York

The problem likely lies in the fact that the virus can affect (or effect...always get that confused) the weeds in your nieghborhood. Plants get infected by bug's virus-carrying saliva when they feed on your pumpkin plant, the weeds next door, etc.....These infected plants overwinter and feed other bugs that then get infected and feed on your pumpkins next year. So, unfortunately, the SOURCE of the problem may be around all the time...an infected field. I know of a professional pkn grower who actually moved because he couldn't grow w/o that problem. If next years plants dont get bitten by infected critters then they will be fine.......maybe mosquito netting around the plant?....G

6/23/2002 3:36:48 PM

North Ga

effect G. LOL

6/23/2002 6:46:07 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

LIpumpkin speaks the truth. There is no spray to prevent or counteract the effects. Sevin and the sorts can help kill the virus-carrying bug, but they have to bite your plant first to be killed by the insecticide. The problem is your plant can get infected with that singular bite. Some plants which are infected show the signs immediately and others not till later on. There is not a specific lag time between the bite and the plant showing the effects. Also, if you have a fruit pollinated ealier on the vine that the leaves that show the infection you will most likely be able to grow this fruit to completion. Otherwise the plant and the fruit will get distorted and it's growth will be highly stunted. Best defense is to clear as much of the weed population that you can get your hands on. Good luck, this is always a big concern for me too.

7/20/2002 1:05:30 PM