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Illinois

Hi everyone,

After many Google searches, I am totally baffled as to what may be going wrong with my pumpkins. I am growing an Atlantic Giant and the leaves have stopped growing a few days ago at 7' (the main vine is still growing and is now around 10'). The leaves are small and "puckered" but the color is a normal bright green. All of the leaves before this point are big and healthy... standing straight up at attention!

I was watering every day and initially the plant responded very well to it - it was growing much more rapidly after I started doing this (as a precaution though I backed off yesterday). Could it be too much fertilizer or a virus? Is there any way to tell and can the plant recover or should I start over before it gets too late in the season?

Thanks!

6/22/2012 7:41:53 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

Take a close look at the main vine, unbury it if necessary for inspection...could be a damaged section? I once left a coathanger vine trainer on too long and it girdled the vine!
Good luck!

6/22/2012 7:48:37 PM

Illinois

Thanks for your reply. It looks pretty healthy. The only damage I see is that the landscapers mowed over a side leaf and vine. The leaf stem is cut and split a few inches from the main.

6/22/2012 8:12:45 PM

Long Island,New York

you need to post a picture in photos or diary section

6/22/2012 9:57:04 PM

Illinois

Will do - it's dark now but I will get one tomorrow.

I am starting to think that this is CMV... is it too late to start new seeds? And are there any CMV resistant Atlantic Giant seeds available by any chance?

6/22/2012 10:35:09 PM

Lloydminster/AB

Could be herbicide damage. I've had that happen and it was exactly as you describe. Secondary growth slowed to a crawl, main vine continued but slower and all new leaves small and misshapen. It doesn't take much. AG leaves are large and collect a lot of whatever drifted over. AG plants are affected when other plants seem fine. It eventually grew out of it but it took 6 weeks. Sorry, Not good news if thats what it is.

6/22/2012 11:43:25 PM

Long Island,New York

From your description it looks like mosaic virus or 2-4-D damage....pics will tell...pic of plant, pic of individual leaf.

6/23/2012 8:05:39 AM

how wet is dirt? grab a handfull check -extreme soggy flooded dirt for week or more can do like you describe

6/23/2012 8:27:56 AM

Illinois

Here's a photo... looking pretty sad today.

http://i.imgur.com/wNRu6.jpg

6/23/2012 12:05:28 PM

Illinois

And here is a photo of a few leaves. They've been at the same size for around 3-4 days now and are stiff and kind of dry. They are most definitely curled - not wilting. Notice the one in back has a twisted stem and the leaf is pointing towards the ground. Looks like all new leaves on the plant are doing something similar (including the ones near the roots, much further back up the main). All older leaves look fine.

http://i.imgur.com/iVjZP.jpg

6/23/2012 12:09:22 PM

Pataskala,OH

Looks like damage from some kind of herbicide. Do you put anything on the lawn like weed & feed ext,,? Or did a neighbor put anything on their lawn.

6/23/2012 12:15:00 PM

Pataskala,OH

Their is dead grass next to it which looks like it was sprayed.

6/23/2012 12:16:10 PM

Pataskala,OH

"there"

6/23/2012 12:17:36 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

Yep, I would bet a wad of cash that someone sprayed along the bottom of the fence and your pumpkin plant got caught in the crossfire.

6/23/2012 1:47:16 PM

Illinois

Well I've double checked for vine borers and don't see any holes. So chances are pretty good that it's herbicide damage.

So should I wait for this plant recover or start over?

6/23/2012 1:59:03 PM

Bethlehem CT

I don't see any broadleaf weeds in your lawn or your neighbors, it doesn't get like that with out occasional weed n feed. (2-4d herbicide is in all that stuff)
One thing you could try is to cut the plant at the point where the leaves get whacked looking. Maybe the herbicide is a type that doesn't translocate well in the plant... and by cutting it you will be removing a lot of it. If the herbicide got in your soil it takes a while to degrade and it may still be enough to harm your plant. Pumpkins are very sensitive. I am sorry this happened to you.

6/23/2012 9:24:27 PM

Illinois

I went to a local garden shop tonight and they recommended I cut the main at the point where the wackiness started as well. I'm certainly willing to give it a shot. A little scared though as that is a pretty irreversible action and there's no guarantee it's going to help things...

6/23/2012 11:18:02 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

I agree with Nick, looks like a roundup type herbacide was sprayed and the overspray hit the leaves. look at the fence line.
I dont see any secondaries in the pic, if so, cutting the main at the point where thee is still growth might do little except save that small part of the plant.

6/24/2012 5:43:22 AM

Long Island,New York

Yup....2-4-D herbicide damage with evidence right next to it. Your nieghbor owes you a year.

6/24/2012 7:41:50 AM

Illinois

Hey! All of the affected leaf stems which were twisted and mostly pointing towards the ground have now turned upwards... maybe a recovery in progress?

6/24/2012 4:58:49 PM

Bethlehem CT

Given enough time a plant can outgrow herbicide poisoning. Assuming it doesn't kill it outright. I think yours would be dead by now if it was going to die. Look at the grass along the fence, that is already nice and toasted. Your plant got hit with some drift. Not enough to kill it just enough to stunt it.
I am changing my guess to round-up as the culprit. Upon viewing the picture a second time I can see that it is grass that was sprayed along the fence and 2-4d would not have harmed the grass, which now appears to be dead.

6/24/2012 9:06:05 PM

Linden, Mi.,

Pumpkin plants, all they need is to just, get a whiff of 2-4-D and they are "DEAD" Two years ago nieghbor sprayed, 20 feet away and down went all my plants.

6/25/2012 2:48:33 PM