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The bottom of New Jersey

I continue to battle with vine rot on at least 50% of my plants every year when the hot and humid weather sets in. It always seems to enter through a small split or crack in the vine or stump. I usually don't catch it early enough to cure it, so I was wondering if anyone out there used to have this problem and figured out a way to prevent it in the first place. Lab results last year said it was bacterial soft rot but did not identify the exact bacterium.

7/22/2012 12:41:29 PM

Deerfield, Michigan

I put a little table over mine to protect during watering and high heat. Seems to work for me.

7/23/2012 1:52:00 AM

Connecticut

pumpkinJesus-

Typically keeping the area dry is your best bet. You can built a shade structure as some do over their pumpkins over the stump area. I have seen this method work quite well. You can also spray the area with repeated applications of Oxidate to help limit potential infections and also keep you monitoring the problem areas.

Best of luck this year.

7/23/2012 9:55:37 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

Thanks for the info guys. I used to cover my stump with a small covering but that didn't seem to help - maybe it just wasn't large enough. I'll try the Oxidate too next year. I also wonder if tilling in my cover crop so close to planting time contributes, since it is still decomposing when I put my plants in.

7/24/2012 7:33:54 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

To elaborate along with what Matt D said, do you grow off any type of mound or incline? I grow my main down a slight grade for drainage. It works really well for me in the heat and I haven’t had any stump issues.

7/24/2012 9:16:53 AM

Winston Salem, NC

I have a post up in new growers with a pic but what do you folks do when you do get stump rot?... I dug all my rot out and hit it with sulfur. Anything else?

7/24/2012 3:52:36 PM