Topic: the worst thing has happened to my Pumpkin plant

[tuinman]

I went to Spain for a week and when i came back this had happened



As you can see its beginning to rot because of all the rain we've had.

This is the plant from a bit further of, its still alive but i don't think its going to make it. :(

[manicscousers]

JEANNINE, your nursing skills are required here, it stll seems to be fighting, though , doesn't it ?

[tuinman]

It does, but for how long?
has anyone else had this problem?
and how did it go?

[Mrs Ava]

I have had stems snap and be holding on by a thread, so I wrap tape around them and they usually pull through.  Where the stems touch the ground further along, they will root, so it shouldn't be the end of the plant.

[tuinman]

Thats what i needed to hear, cheers ej

[Marymary]

I had one stem snap so badly I nearly pulled it out but left it & have had several summer squashes off it already & it seems ver healthy - I also taped another broken stme with Micropore & that is doing well too.  All might not be lost.  :)

[Jeannine]

If it is not completely snapped it can still live a long time, you need to take any stress of the broken part, put chunks of wood under the stem at each side of the break,then tape it, it doesn't really matter what with but it needs to be something strong. I have slit a paper towel roll lengthways and put it round a broken stem then rolled it till it is fairly snug and duct taped over that. the cardboard sleeve takes the stress off the bend, just be careful you don't sever it as you do it. It may recover, but you may lose it. The other option when it is this scary is to carefully bury the whole broken area in potting soil, mound the soil up to the break rather than push the stem down ,I think I would make a wood frame about 10 inches tall that would fit around the plant at the break then fill in with the soil,usually I would repair a break as you can introduce problems through the soil but in this case digging   it  in may be a good choice, XX Jeannine

[tuinman]

Thanks Jeannine I might just try that.

[robontheallotment]

Mix Half an Aspro clear in 4 litres of clean water and soak the damaged and infected stems, works wonders. Asprin is a good fungicide

[Biscombe]

wow! will asprin work on p mildew? hope your pumpkins are ok tuinman

[cornykev]

The pumkin might not recover but it will never have a headache.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Jitterbug]

Sorry to hear about your pumpkin - it is not looking too good - are you sure something was not poured onto it? 

I am feeling bad now as when you posted the original pics I was so envious - not my pumpkins are looking good and your poor ones are sick :'( :'(

Jitterbug

[tuinman]

Thanks all,

Jitterbug, no i don't think anything was poured on it, but i was in Spain so if there was it wasn't me :)

[cornykev]

After the advice on here, I put some cardboard collars with surgical tape around four of my stems, it looks like a scene out of casualty in my garden.  ;D ;D ;D

[tuinman]

is it working Kev?

[cornykev]

Not sure  :-\ yet will give it a while then get back to you Tuinman.  ;D ;D ;D