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Europe

One of my plants was late to set a fruit and now it has split. With some luck the will be warm ... I have read somewhere on the bigpumpkins that you should never loose hope.

Last week was warm and dry. I have drip irigated twice a day with rain water (I am able to collect lots of it from our roof).
Yesterday I have noticed the split and the new growth is somehow yellow. I posted some pictures in my diary, I have taken them today during a havy rain.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=140904

here is also the picture of the plant and fruit

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=140903

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=140906

What should I do to help the plant and save the fruits that are forming now?

Should I add come form of ready available calcium (nitrate, kelate)? Maybe it is lack of iron, but as I have read Fe deficency is manifestated in the older leaves, not the young ones. A soil test is not an option at the moment.

I would apreciate any help.

7/29/2010 3:32:13 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Kinda looks like early stages of Downy mildew. Not sure if it can really be controlled once it sets in. Do the leaves still seem to be getting worse?

7/31/2010 8:11:24 PM

Midwest

It looks like a disease. Waiting on your answer to Hoosts question. Also, what type of soil (heavy clay, sandy?) and do you have a fungicide spraying program?

8/3/2010 1:40:23 PM

Europe

Thank you hoots and cristrules for your reply, sorry for my late reply.

The situation is not worse, but not a lot better eighter. Here is what I did. I went to a shop for farmers and bought a contact fungicide against Downy mildew (Bravo). There was a link to a page with data on pesticides that do not harm mycorrhizae, I have lost it so I made a random choice between the available. I have add also a calcium fertiliser with aminoacids for quick absorbtion.

I have polinated a female on the main vine. It did take, but is growing very slowly. It was so also with the first fruit that did not grow a lot at first, than it started and split. The most yellow growth is in its neinghbourhood. There is a nice fruit on the secondary vine, selfpolinated and I thoungt of cutting it off at first. It looks that it is going to be my last chance for this year at 15 day it is 31,5 inch circumference.

I did ask also the agriculture experts for our region to have a look at a couple of leaves. They do not have that much experience with pumpkins, but they agreed that if it was a grape vine leaf it would sure be lack of K. Do you think it is possible?

wishing you all the best

8/6/2010 2:43:32 PM

Sacramento, Ca

I agree with hoots dirt, it looks like the start of downy mildew. see my patch last year at the links below. I had it and it will take your plant down in a hurry.

This is this years plant

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=142106

This is last years plant

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=120125

This is the end result

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=119662

8/8/2010 5:03:16 PM

Western PA

Can downy mildew start on any section of the plant like that?
I don't know but on all 3 of melon plants, it started at the stump and worked its way out. If it can start anywhere on the plant than I may have a pumpkin plant in my main patch that is getting downy.

8/8/2010 8:58:32 PM

Midwest

I think you are on the right track. You can combine that with a systemic fungicide (like Immunox or Eagle 20).

8/9/2010 1:40:06 PM

Europe

I thought of posting an update to give some hope to others that might be desperate about leaves problems as I was.

I will sure not break any records with this one, but still hope to harvest a nice fruit.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=144324

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=144325

I have fighted with fungicides against pm and dm. The yellow spots on the leaves have not disapeared, but at least it did not spread to the rest of the plant. I really hope it is not a kind of virus.

Thanks to all for your oppinions.

8/27/2010 3:47:55 PM