From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Riverside CA

I've noticed that some of the leaves on my giant pumpkin vines have these brilliant yellow spots coming on around the edges of the deep, green, huge leaves. Not all of the vines are affected, however, I don't want to let this situation continue and have to pull out vines, etc. The rest of the patch is really doing well and is very beautiful.
Please tell me what this is and how to treat it.
Thanks so very much,
Pauline

6/20/2009 10:54:07 PM

Central Ca

Are you giving your plants too much fertilizer? That's how my leaves respond when I give them to much nitrogen. They'll also get a slight blueish hue. If you can, post pictures of your leaves so people here can narrow down what your plant problem is.

6/21/2009 1:18:19 AM

Riverside CA

Thankyou for responding. I will go out to the patch and get the pictures for you. When I plant my transplants the soil is already to go with amendments, manure, etc. I find that this pretty much carries them through most of the growing season. I have not used any nitrogen products because the vines grow beautifully without it. I did use fish fertilizer when I put in the transplants, mixed with seaweed extract. I used these products as a foliar spray. I grew really big pumpkins last year, couldn't get some out of the patch because they were big and felt as though they were filled with cement. This was the first season they stayed out there and kept growing. So I don't use products unless I have to, which goes against everything I've learned in the past. They seem to do better the less I fuss over them. I guess I've been pretty lucky. I remember when I used to work and I'd be out there spraying, fertilzing, etc, every morning before I left for work and when I came home I was out there. I was always so stressed! Now I'm very relaxed about these babies and they seem to grow without all the fuss. I'm not out to break any records, but some are o/200lbs. I use Joel Holland's seeds. As long as my family and neighbors get pumpkins I'm happy. I put a few in front of my house and leave them there until maybe next March so the school kids riding the buses will have something to look at on their way to school. I'll be back soon.....

6/21/2009 9:00:46 PM

Riverside CA

Hello,
I'm back. I guess I'm not so smart with sending pictures but if you'll tell me how, they're ready to go. When I took these pictures, I found that the spots are starting to fade out into a lighter yellow color and then somewhat white.

6/21/2009 10:00:49 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

This is common in cool wet weather. Often diagnosed as a Magnesium deficiency I prefer to call it a chlorophyll deficiency when it is found after a lot of rain. It can be either.

Check for mites too. California might see enough heat they
might be a concern.

6/22/2009 12:26:02 AM

Riverside CA

Hi, Tremor,
How nice of you to reply with new info.

The following are links to the (3) pictures I took yesterday:

http://www.stillyvision.com/files/001.jpg
http://www.stillyvision.com/files/002.jpg
http://www.stillyvision.com/files/003.jpg

I think it would be a good idea if all of my responders would give me an e-mail address to send off my photos to in the future. It would be so much easier on everyone (me).

I'm going out to feed my desert tortoise now but will be back soon. I also need to tidy up his enclosure a bit.

Thankyou all so very much.

6/22/2009 3:18:23 PM

Long Island,New York

probably need a picture of the underside of a leaf and a picture of the topside to diagnose....

6/22/2009 6:20:13 PM

milford, CT,

Today I went out and have some concerns also..leaves look light green..a few yellowing edges..a little droopy...I hope this is just because of the lack of heat and sun...The good thing is mother nature is coming in 2 days with some heat and sun..Mark

6/22/2009 9:48:45 PM

Riverside CA

Hi, LIpumpkin,
When I took the pictures I did look under the leaves and didn't see anything except a few white flies and tonight I couldn't take any pictures since I didn't have enough light but found that the yellow spots, turning white on the top had also a white color under the leaf, in the same place as above.
We haven't had really any hot weather here which is very unusual for this time of year. The weather has been comfortable with breezes again today. I have small and basketball size pumpkins growing on different vines. I am growing several different varieties as I normally do. The leaves do seem lighter than when they first came on but healthy, none the less. They are growing straight up from the vines, like a forest. They have also been going through a short period of transporation during the afternoons.

This weekend the temperature is supposed to be in the mid-nineties but will decrease again next week. I'm afraid they will really suffer when the real heat comes all at once.

Well, enough of my rambling. I will get more pictures off to you tomorrow.
Thankyou all again.

6/22/2009 11:47:09 PM

Long Island,New York

My guess would be downey mildew because its so early.....if not then powdery.....I use manzate for downey and I'd spray for downey.

6/23/2009 6:07:13 AM