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Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

With only 2 weeks left to grow before the weigh off, do I really care if PM has just started arriving? If I plan on keeping the pumpkins around to Halloween, will the PM cause the pumpkin to rot quicker or is it just a leaf thing? My main concern now is getting to the weighoff and Halloween, not worried about more growth at this point. Thanks for any tips.

9/26/2006 1:10:40 AM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Last year I had it BAD in late August and September on my Big Max plant. The pumpkin was still solid well into December. I don't think that is a big worry at this point. The only thing I am not sure about is how this will affect your soil for next year. I did spray the plant but I was to late to help and I also sprayed the soil heavy after I pulled the plant.May not hurt at all but I wonder if there is any way that the PM could over winter in the soil? Thats why I sprayed the soil last year, did not want to take any chances. Something to think about.

9/26/2006 4:16:42 PM

Montoursville, PA

I do not worry about it at this point. The spore is everywhere including the travel with the new fall winds from the West each year. The best prevent is to build strong soil. Kelp meal is given credit as one of the best soil building elements. Kelp used in foliar feeding is also thought to be a major preventive practice. In the early days of building stronger soil and plants some use of fungicides may be needed. Neem Oil as a preventive is organic and does a good job when used per label instructions. I use Neem Oil a lot. Some years it is my only fungicide, insecticide and miticide.
....No matter what some advertisers say you can only kill a percentage of soilborn spore. In so doing you may do more biological harm than good. More will arrive yearly and the prevent practices seem to make more sense.

9/26/2006 9:35:37 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Eric,

I agree to let it ride. The spores being produced now will float around in the atmosphere & infect plants far away from you. These spores will make no difference to you next year as none will survive without a growing host (which you won't have over winter).

9/26/2006 11:46:45 PM

Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

Thanks, that is what I thought. I appreciate the insight. I am working on the soil as it appears to be the one common factor amongst all the growers of big pumpkins. Need the soil first, and then the blood, sweat and tears come into play.

9/27/2006 12:12:23 AM