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Pittsburgh, PA

The leaves on my Atlantic giant are turning brown at edges and appear to be dying. This browning is beginning at the leaves closest to the stump.

Does anyone know what this might be? Links to pictures below.

The plant is just beginning to grow female flowers.
This Is my second year growing for fun, so not much experience. Any help is appreciated!
https://pin.it/3ri829A

https://pin.it/2sUGnYF

7/18/2022 1:44:42 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Are the leaves sun burnt or is this a different issue?

7/18/2022 6:16:00 PM

Roseville CA

Not a expert, but I think that is a combination of aging and the leafs being sun-burnt

7/19/2022 2:04:31 AM

Syracuse, NY

I suppose if I say anything that anyone DISagrees with, you'll have at least 2 more opinions, lol---since you have MALE flowers at least, females will be along very soon; In the meantime, IIIIIIIIIIIIII would hit the whole plant with a high-nitrogen fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro 24-8-16 at 1 tbsp./gal H20 over the entire plant for 10 days at once every 3 days and beyond for ANY result other than nothing at all; I dunno what is causing the yellowing, per se';
The only post I saw about using HAY as a mulch more than less said it's a good idea, so, there goes what I thought the problem might be, along with Sankalp's thoughts on it.
I made a similar recommendation to another grower for a different problem and we'll soon see how THAT goes as well.
Only time will tell and it will beat doing nothing. Now, as soon as any FEMales start showing up, marble-sized + I suppose, I'd stop with any higher-N fertilizer and then either go with a balanced water-soluble (10-10-10, or especially 10-52-10) at its recommended rate or even just straight water until fruit are reliably set of basketball size +.
***ALL just my honest opinions and I WANT others to chime in for you.
If 'no'? Give it a go! later---eric g

7/19/2022 3:11:26 AM

Pittsburgh, PA

Thanks for the help!

I will give the fertilizer a try.

What fertilizer do you recommend after fruit are basketball sized / reliably set?

Are sunshades recommended to be placed over the whole plant to prevent sunburnt leaves?

7/19/2022 9:40:22 AM

Torrance, Ca.

This type of thing drives me nuts in my patch! I'm always thinking of the next year as I'm growing the current year. I would send a disease test out with that leaf and node to figure out what it truly is. This way, the following year you can be prepared with the appropriate chemicals.

I take a lot of notes and we learn something new each year. I remember 15 years ago, I thought powdery mildew was just part of growing pumpkins. lol Year 13 is when I finally got serous and started taking notes and asking growers that have been growing a long time questions. Diseases are a big part of growing theses things because of all the water we use. The only way to truly find out what your dealing with is through a test.
Good luck and I hope you get a handle on whatever it is!!:)

7/19/2022 9:55:20 AM

Grittyville, WA

Potassium and manganese, probably nitrogen also. I think pumpkinpals advice is close enough to the mark... In SoCal's case, it looks more like root disease issues are starting prevent some nutrients from going into the plant. Just some half-brain guesses... add grains of salt. I am seeing the same issues.

7/19/2022 11:31:58 AM

Grittyville, WA

Nutritional deficiencies where the plant sucks the mobile nutients out (NPK, and others) ...or where the roots stop delivering the right levels of nutrients) look a heck of a lot like a "disease". In these cases, if there is any disease, its probably in the roots. Imho.

7/19/2022 11:36:12 AM

Roseville CA

I use a 40% shade cloth from Amazon, and it is pretty cheap. We tied ropes to the Oak trees around our patch and we hung the shade cloth on it. Every one of my leaves would've been burnt without shade cloth. I am not sure what your weather is like in Pittsburgh, but if you get weather 95+ constantly, shade cloth helps.

7/19/2022 3:27:48 PM

Roseville CA

Here is a photo from my diary with the shade cloth. I have added more as the plants grew :D This is from the 9th, so, as my plants grew I have added more shade cloth.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=332640

7/19/2022 3:30:33 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

I appreciate everyones replies! I will try out these methods and post an update with how things go.

It has been 85-90 the past few weeks here so I will also get a shade cloth to see if that helps.

7/19/2022 4:28:29 PM

British Columbia, Canada

Sun damage + aging leaves would be my guess.

7/19/2022 4:40:12 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

I've suffered several seasons of the premature aging of the leaves and what I call canopy collapse. It typically starts at the stump and works its way out. By harvest, I would have very few decent leaves left.

I did tissue and soil tests at the end of the 2021 season and each showed multiple diseases. It's not cheap to have these tests done, but I needed to know what I am dealing with. I have a new regiment of fungicides in a rotation now and the plant canopy so far is holding up well.

7/19/2022 8:29:22 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Any recommendations on where to get the tissue and soil tests done? Is the testing usually only done at the end of the season in preparation for the following year?

Hoping the plant doesn't die and I can get a pumpkin. Last year was my first attempt at growing a giant pumpkin and squash vine borers killed my plant. Learning as I go, so much to learn.

7/19/2022 9:14:53 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

a lot of growers use Western Labs in Parma, ID.

https://westernlaboratories.com/

7/19/2022 10:33:27 PM

Roseville CA

Yup, that's where most growers send samples to, but if that is not in your price range, you can call your local Universities AG extension, and you can get a pretty cheap soil test.

I've never tried that, as I have used Western Labs because they have a special Giant Pumpkin Growers category of tests.

7/20/2022 12:12:56 AM

Pittsburgh, PA

Thank you. The plant is looking a lot worse as time goes on, leaves dying from the stump and moving out fast.

I saw this "leaf problems" link in another thread and it looks similar to the downey mildew pictures. Could it be?

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Attachments/Leaf_Problems_Summer_2011.pdf

Here are pictures of two of the leafs from today (dont know if the bad leafs should be cut off or not).

https://pin.it/2poI67X

https://pin.it/4L4z9J8

7/20/2022 7:24:53 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Others may have different opinions, but for me, I am removing those leaves. They are not likely providing any benefit at this point.

Are the leave stems soft and mushy?

7/20/2022 8:20:10 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

The stems seem to be fine/not mushy. It is just the leaves with the issue at the moment.

7/20/2022 9:34:41 PM