Spots on my pumpkin plant

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
Not sure if this is the start of powdery mildew or what.

The spots started last week.
The undersides of the leafs show no aphids. Basically clean leafs.
I weeded the garden with the weed wacker and some mulch is on the tops of these leafs in the pix.

Sorry, can't post the pix.

Be back later.
Thanks
 

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
leaf.JPG

Tonight I can post a pix.

Never grew halloween pumpkins before but this plant is huge.
The spots are on 70% of the leafs.
Any ideas?
 

sonar

Well-Known Member
It does look like some kind of mold/fungus. Could be powdery mildew. Pumpkins and squash seem especially susceptible.
 

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
It does look like some kind of mold/fungus. Could be powdery mildew. Pumpkins and squash seem especially susceptible.
It has been a wet spring and early summer here.
I don't see as many spots on the leafs that grew through the fence, mostly on the garden side.
Lotta blossoms but I haven't seen any pumpkins, yet.
 

UncleBuck

Well-Known Member
I can't cover them everytime it rains so maybe it will live maybe not.
Had some pm last year on some squash but that survived just fine.
This plant is like the size of a canoe.
they don't seem to mind rain for some reason, but if you spray them with the hose they rebel.

pro tip: when the pumpkins start forming and are a decent size, cover them with leaves from the plant. if you want a square pumpkin, place the forming pumpkin inside a cinderblock.

last but not least, you can greatly increase your yield by pollinating by hand. just take some of the stamens from the male flowers and brush the pollen into the female flowers.

and yeah, pumpkin plants get huge but by the end of the season it's nothing but a bright orange pumpkin on a brown, withered vine surrounded by dead leaves no matter how well you grow 'em.
 

UncleBuck

Well-Known Member
Lotta blossoms but I haven't seen any pumpkins, yet.
forgot to ask if you knew about the male/female flowers.

male flower on the left, female on the right.



don't be afraid to pollinate by hand otherwise you'll get all excited about having a pumpkin and it will just rot because it hasn't been pollinated.
 

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
they don't seem to mind rain for some reason, but if you spray them with the hose they rebel.

pro tip: when the pumpkins start forming and are a decent size, cover them with leaves from the plant. if you want a square pumpkin, place the forming pumpkin inside a cinderblock.

last but not least, you can greatly increase your yield by pollinating by hand. just take some of the stamens from the male flowers and brush the pollen into the female flowers.

and yeah, pumpkin plants get huge but by the end of the season it's nothing but a bright orange pumpkin on a brown, withered vine surrounded by dead leaves no matter how well you grow 'em.
Been weeks since I watered them. I make the plants starve for water when first planted to establish a good root system.
If it doesnt rain for 4 or more days and they look droopy I will water them, but only the area where they were planted.

The first frost is sad, all the green vines now wilted.

You live and die with your garden.
 

UncleBuck

Well-Known Member
Been weeks since I watered them. I make the plants starve for water when first planted to establish a good root system.
If it doesnt rain for 4 or more days and they look droopy I will water them, but only the area where they were planted.

The first frost is sad, all the green vines now wilted.

You live and die with your garden.
just another heads up, pumpkin leaves will sometimes wilt on very hot days, even if well watered. they don't seem to be a fan of blistering hot temps.
 

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
forgot to ask if you knew about the male/female flowers.

male flower on the left, female on the right.



don't be afraid to pollinate by hand otherwise you'll get all excited about having a pumpkin and it will just rot because it hasn't been pollinated.
I have no idea if it's male or female.
Maybe pollen from a local plant will find it.
It was a single pot from the local nursery although two plants were growing in the pot.
 

UncleBuck

Well-Known Member
I have no idea if it's male or female.
Maybe pollen from a local plant will find it.
It was a single pot from the local nursery although two plants were growing in the pot.
every pumpkin plant will throw off male and female flowers, the males tend to be a little more common though. so if you do spot a little round ball at the base of one of those blossoms, don't be afraid to grab a male flower and make sure nature's work gets done.
 

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
every pumpkin plant will throw off male and female flowers, the males tend to be a little more common though. so if you do spot a little round ball at the base of one of those blossoms, don't be afraid to grab a male flower and make sure nature's work gets done.
Sorrta thought they were asexual.
Wish I had time to tend the summer garden.
Always lots of bees so I don't worry about it too much.

Nice plant for keeping the weeds down.
 

stoned cockatoo

New Member
iv actually moved on from photoshop and into stone carvings and id really like to carve a scale model of your head.

I am going to need at least 6 high definition photos of your face at different angles
 
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