My season is looking bleaker every day. The damage to the pumpkin plants appears to be progressive. I had hoped that the plants would grow out of it, but the effects are becoming more severe. All the new growth is stunted with leaves that are thick and small, with crinkled edges that never unfurl. I have also noticed a dearth of male flowers. The last 6 pollinations I have had to use my son's plant as I have not had any males. I believe this is damage caused by BRASH it is a combination herbicide with 35% 2-4D and 12% Dicamba. I know enough to not spray around the garden, not spray when the wind is blowing, not spray when it is hot. The damage has come from spilling the concentrate (not the diluted spray) on my gloves. I then went into the garden and pruned, buried vines etc. ( I don't think I did that on the same day as the spill but I can't remember). Within a few days some of the secondaries where I had worked the plants became all distorted with vines that were almost mushy. That was three weeks ago and now all new growth on the plants is affected. My son's and daughters plants are the least affected (I didn't help them), but even their plants are showing signs of the disease. The 1347 Wallace is the best of my plants, the other 5 I would call moderate to severe damage. I don't know if the plants will grow out of it or whether I should till them under and plant a cover crop. If you look at these pictures and think of something I am open to suggestions. Looking at some photos online others have suggested that this is how plants look that have mosaic virus- I hope not. Bchris1335@aol.com
I'm almost ready to call it quits for the year. I had two plants with pumpkins set the 1347 and 930 but I found the 1347 blown apart this morning. I have not had a pumpkin blow up in a similar fashion for 8 years. The 930 does have a pumpkin on it but it is early. None of the rest of the plants have any definate pumpkin set yet. It getting late beyond the golden time for pollination.
On the good news the new growth on the plants seems to look better (almost normal), the older growth is still messed up. I suspect if I had a virus it would be with me all season long so again I am favoring the idea of herbicide damage.
July 19th
A week later and I still feel the same about the season. I wish it would freeze!
The plants are growing out of it but the pumpkins are not responding. At this point I have two pumpkins set (2 of 6) the oldest is at 17 days and is a whooping 27" circumfrence and the other is at 15 days and is a whole 32". Both Blake and Brandi have pumpkins set but theirs are no better Blakes is 32" at 18 days and Brandi's is 27" at 16 days. I'm still tempted to plow the whole thing under and plant a cover crop.
I will be getting beat at the Pumpkin Pickin Party-- Yes it will still happen even if I can't show off. It will be the last Saturday of September as usual.
I did show my pictures to a plant pathologist at Western Labs and he was of not help. He said
"I doubt if it is mosaic.
Especially your area is not known to have commercial watermelon, squash or pumpkin. That is usually where the viruses are coming from and transmitted by aphids or leaf hoppers.
My gut feeling it is is a Mg or Mn deficiency.
I doubt it is the Mg or Mn as I had a soil test done in the spring and it was fine. I am still favoring the herbicide theory, although the arguement against the mosaic virus is valid.
The one bright side is I have a little more free time this year. I have not been nearly as diligent about tending the patch as it is probably a waste of time.