From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Hi all,

Last year I had a problem with a fungus that grew on all the soft parts of the new pumpkin fruit. This a link to my diary that has a picture from last year's diary.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=56213

This year it has started to show up on the flowers that have dropped to the ground. I have mulched around the plant with a thick layer of compost, so there is a lot of organic matter for it to spread quickly. And the temperature has been in the upper 90's for a week, and it will be 100+ today and tomorrow.

I read the label for the Captan Fungicide, but I was not sure how much to add per gallon.

In your experience how much have you used, and has it worked to control the problem?

Thanks

Tom V

My question

8/8/2007 7:54:08 AM

Midwest

Tom: IMHO Captan is too nasty to use on something you plan to touch after application. There are so many fungicides that are nicer to people but nasty to fungus. Even baking soda or 10% bleach might work on the pumpkin? Be safe!
Greg

8/8/2007 1:16:05 PM

Georgia

I have two bottles of Captan that are unopened because there are so much easier to use products. Theres a product called Ortho garden and disease control which contains chlorothanil and I paint it right on the stems and them blossom ends very easy to use. Alls you have to do is mix one tablespoon per gallon to spray. Its cured most of my problems and stopped stem splits and stump rot.

8/8/2007 1:34:27 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Tom, man can you believe this heat??? Hope it cools off for us soon or I may be done!
It comes highly recommended that you take a spray bottle and mix 1 part bleach to 10 parts water and spray your fruit once a week and wipe with a clean, soft cloth. This really helps keep the fungus and diseases down. I have been doing it to mine for the past few weeks and seems to be working well.

Good luck buddy and I'll see you at weigh-off!

Mark

8/8/2007 5:24:17 PM

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Hi Mark,

We had 104 F on Wednesday, and 103 yesterday! The cool front passed through last night, so we had several hours of heavy rain, and even some hail.

I sprayed the soil around the plant with baking soda dissolved in water, and I will use the 10 % bleach solution on the pumpkin tonight.

See you at the weigh off!

8/10/2007 7:43:20 AM