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Framingham, MA

My pumpkin plant germinated on June 22nd and now has one good sized true leaf and another on the way in addition to the two cotyledons. Late yesterday I noticed that something had been chewing a little bit on one of the cotyledons. I checked for bugs and could see none. I ordered a row cover last night which I should get by this weekend. In the meantime, is this plant too young to spray with Sevin?

6/29/2005 8:15:14 AM

Sioux Falls, SD garyboer@dakotalink.com

you can always dust

6/29/2005 9:35:20 AM

Framingham, MA

Is dusting with Sevin preferable to spraying it in solution on a young plant? Should I use a small brush to do this (e.g. artist's brush)?

6/29/2005 10:17:58 AM

Montoursville, PA

Placing anything, on a plant that young is asking, for the kiss, of death. The first three or four leaves, on any vine, all season long should not be monkeyed with. They need, to harden off, to withstand the stress, of most spray material.

6/29/2005 12:47:47 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Never treat the youngest 3-4 leaves with anything but water & sunshine. This is true for seedlings & older plants alike. So the entire young plant is exempt from spraying until the leaves harden off. Later is the just the growing tips.

This is why using a soil spplied systemic like Admire/Merit is so important. Cucumber Beetles will attack seedling long before they are tough enough to tolerate insecticides.

The last leaves will be durable enough later on after the secondary vines are terminated & the leaves have matured a bit.

6/30/2005 5:37:19 AM