If you know what it is or if you've just seen it before and know how to deal with it, any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
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FungusAmongus
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Can you identify this pumpkin-killing fungus?
It's growing all over my pumpkin patch and has even spread over to my squash and watermelons. All searches have just led to powdery mildew as a result, which doesn't seem to be the problem at all. https://imgur.com/RsGQ0s1
If you know what it is or if you've just seen it before and know how to deal with it, any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
If you know what it is or if you've just seen it before and know how to deal with it, any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
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applestar
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Yeah, the picture shows mold that typically develops on spent blossoms. The blossoms are only open one day. The male blossoms will close and break off or bend over the next day and the petals of the female blossoms will shrivel and become mushy while the baby fruit will either grow if pollinated or yellow and fall off.
In a humid environment, those water dense nutritious flower petals will turn into brown goo and end up with mold just like the one you photographed,
It doesn't rain often in my area -- typically summer drought with rain once a week if that -- so I don't usually clean up after the blossoms unless they have liquefied on a leaf, but I'm growing some SVB susceptible squash under a protective tunnel which it is extremely humid inside, and I remove all spent blossoms.
In a humid environment, those water dense nutritious flower petals will turn into brown goo and end up with mold just like the one you photographed,
It doesn't rain often in my area -- typically summer drought with rain once a week if that -- so I don't usually clean up after the blossoms unless they have liquefied on a leaf, but I'm growing some SVB susceptible squash under a protective tunnel which it is extremely humid inside, and I remove all spent blossoms.
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Lindsaylew82
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I agree that looks like common squash blossom mold we get around here, too.
Totally normal for squash.
I would be interested in seeing the whole plant. Is that a flower stalk? Is it a leaf stem? For a stem to look like that, it would have had to have some type of damage first, which caused the rot. Either the leaf was removed, or the stalk was bent.
Totally normal for squash.
I would be interested in seeing the whole plant. Is that a flower stalk? Is it a leaf stem? For a stem to look like that, it would have had to have some type of damage first, which caused the rot. Either the leaf was removed, or the stalk was bent.
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FungusAmongus
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Here is a picture of one of the (thankfully few) damaged leaves:
https://imgur.com/OK77coK
Not sure if it has anything to do with the fungus though, as it looks like the nefarious squash bug's handiwork (I've been flicking them into spider webs whenever possible as of late.)
This is another batch of the fungus, this time with the flower still attached:
https://imgur.com/KECDRW7
I'm glad that some of you seem familiar with it and I'm hoping you could help ease my fears of a sub-par Halloween by answering some questions. Do you know if it's harmful in any way to the fruit? I've seen a few flowers with fruits still attached fallen off of the gnarled stalks, is this just the result of an un-pollinated female flower? I'm relatively sure that any damage to the stalk would have to have been caused by the fungus directly and not by any outside sources which then attracted it (unless squash bugs are known to damage the stalks? From what I've seen they usually stick to the leaves.)
Finally, of course, if anyone knows the name of this strange life-form, I would love to know why I never managed to find it in my hours of frantic googling. Thank you for all your help!
https://imgur.com/OK77coK
Not sure if it has anything to do with the fungus though, as it looks like the nefarious squash bug's handiwork (I've been flicking them into spider webs whenever possible as of late.)
This is another batch of the fungus, this time with the flower still attached:
https://imgur.com/KECDRW7
I'm glad that some of you seem familiar with it and I'm hoping you could help ease my fears of a sub-par Halloween by answering some questions. Do you know if it's harmful in any way to the fruit? I've seen a few flowers with fruits still attached fallen off of the gnarled stalks, is this just the result of an un-pollinated female flower? I'm relatively sure that any damage to the stalk would have to have been caused by the fungus directly and not by any outside sources which then attracted it (unless squash bugs are known to damage the stalks? From what I've seen they usually stick to the leaves.)
Finally, of course, if anyone knows the name of this strange life-form, I would love to know why I never managed to find it in my hours of frantic googling. Thank you for all your help!
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FungusAmongus
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Well, it appears the mystery has been solved. I never would have thought to search for 'common squash blossom mold' but as soon as I did, I found a familiar face on google images. Choanephora Wet Rot. Apparently it's soil-born and is stimulated by splashing water, which makes sense as I first noticed it the day after a very long rain. It can lead to loss of fruit if it gets out of hand but it's only particularly dangerous for as long as it remains cold and cloudy.
Fortunately, this means that after the next few days of sunshine it shouldn't be so fearsome. Unfortunately, being soil-born means I'll need to refrain from planting pumpkins there for another three or four years if I want it gone for good. But there is a silver lining, my watermelons should be completely safe from blight! A pumpkin shortage and a surplus of watermelons, this'll make for some interesting Jack-o'-lanterns.
But just on the safe side, what's the best way to go about protecting my pumpkins? I've been cutting off any infected bits I find and this morning sprayed some tea tree oil on half my patch. I've used it as an anti-fungal before but never in this kind of situation so I don't know how well that'll work..
Fortunately, this means that after the next few days of sunshine it shouldn't be so fearsome. Unfortunately, being soil-born means I'll need to refrain from planting pumpkins there for another three or four years if I want it gone for good. But there is a silver lining, my watermelons should be completely safe from blight! A pumpkin shortage and a surplus of watermelons, this'll make for some interesting Jack-o'-lanterns.
But just on the safe side, what's the best way to go about protecting my pumpkins? I've been cutting off any infected bits I find and this morning sprayed some tea tree oil on half my patch. I've used it as an anti-fungal before but never in this kind of situation so I don't know how well that'll work..
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applestar
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Mulching is always good for avoiding things splashing from the soil.
If you want to, you can pick off any spent blossoms you see in the morning -- especially male blossoms. Yesterday's wilted blossoms will break off easily today's unopened ones will not.
I really prefer milk solution for preventive. You can use as dilute as 10% prior to any sign of fungal infestation, but after they appear I like to up it to 20-30%.
If you want to, you can pick off any spent blossoms you see in the morning -- especially male blossoms. Yesterday's wilted blossoms will break off easily today's unopened ones will not.
I really prefer milk solution for preventive. You can use as dilute as 10% prior to any sign of fungal infestation, but after they appear I like to up it to 20-30%.